The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 14: Winter 2019 | Page 23

BATH 2020
How Bath is shaping up for 2020
Over recent years major developments in Bath have
taken place, regenerating key brownfield sites within the
city and investing in its future. With work starting on high
profile schemes, some nearing completion and others
pending planning approval, The Business Exchange
takes a look at what 2020 holds for the city.
Due for completion
Bath Riverside, a significant development of
new homes which began in 2011, will see the
completion of the first phase which extends from
the Homebase site alongside the River Avon to
Midland Road. Over the past nine years developer
Crest Nicholson has created more than 800 new
homes alongside commercial units and public open
space. Working closely with Bath and North East
Somerset Council (B&NES), the development has
also seen the restoration of heritage asset Victoria
Bridge, the creation of a new park and a range of art
installations including stone carvings, sculptures and
window etchings.
On the horizon
The Council’s ambitious scheme to develop
Bath Quays took a step forward in 2019 with the
appointment of Legal & General and its development
manager Bell Hammer to develop Bath Quays North.
The contract will see high quality offices and new
homes, including affordable housing, constructed on
the site near Churchill Bridge.
Bath Quays North is a major part of the
Bath Quays development, the council’s flagship
regeneration project to create a new and vibrant
quarter for the city’s flourishing businesses.
It offers the potential to develop and grow Bath’s
economy providing much needed business space for
the city’s growing businesses and attracting quality
employers to the city.
The scheme is part-funded by the West of
England Local Enterprise Partnership through the
Local Growth Fund and administered by the West of
England Combined Authority (WECA).
Legal & General will deliver 20,000 sqm of new
‘Grade A’ office space creating up to 1900 new jobs
and a minimum of 70 new homes on the Bath Quays
North site.
Pending planning approval
In 2017 Bath City Football Club announced
its intention to secure its long-term future in
partnership with Greenacre Capital. The club,
which is struggling with debt, submitted a planning
application along with Greenacre to B&NES to
create a new grandstand and facilities alongside
a community hub and a 3G pitch. Other elements
include affordable housing, co-living apartments and
improvements to public spaces as well as Purpose
Built Student Accommodation which will ensure the
viability of the scheme and help to stabilise the club’s
finances.
Awaiting planning
application submission
Stadium for Bath is close to submitting a planning
application for a new community-focused stadium,
and a new home for Bath Rugby, at Bath’s
Recreation Ground.
The forthcoming application, which would include
the regeneration of the riverside along the east bank
of the River Avon between Pulteney Bridge and North
Parade, follows extensive consultation with residents
and representatives of the city. Stadium for Bath,
which released a new image of the proposed scheme
in October, says its aim is to create a new, world-
class community and sporting stadium at the Rec.
If given permission, the new 18,000 capacity
stadium will not only retain Premiership rugby in
the heart of the city but provide huge economic and
citywide benefits. Additionally, the development
will create hundreds of new jobs in construction,
operations and hospitality and offer a multi-million
pound boost to the city’s economy per annum
through visitor spending.
Bath’s Homebase site is also hoping for a new
lease of life under the ownership of Guild Living
which acquired the site in 2018. The intention is
to redevelop the land into a unique retirement
community for the over 65s. Once complete, this will
provide much needed age-specific housing to help
meet the demands of the local area.
The plans, which are due for submission in the
coming months, aspire to deliver a unique retirement
community on the site which would include nearly
300 apartments, alongside facilities including a
restaurant, a physiotherapy gym and pool, consultant
rooms for GP surgeries, a children’s nursery and
retail space for local businesses – all of which will be
open to the local community.
If approved, the scheme will provide a significant
number of later-living homes for Bath, supporting
the needs of the city’s growing population of over 85s
which is expected to increase by 24% by 2021.
Artist’s impression of the Bath Riverside development
“The redevelopment of Bath Quays North will boost business,
skills and job opportunities in Bath and the wider region, bringing
new spaces for work, life and culture. Bath is ready to embrace
this opportunity for renewal and show that the city is open for
business.”
Councillor Dine Romero, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council.
Computer generated image of how the new Stadium for Bath might look
“Keeping sport in the heart of the city is the catalyst for this
project, but we are also incredibly proud of the opportunity to
regenerate the riverside creating an amazing place for everyone
to enjoy; of the significant social legacy we will build through the
delivery of education and employment programmes being run on
the site every day of the year and of the opportunity to promote
grass roots community sport.”
Tarquin McDonald, Chief Executive of Bath Rugby..
The vision for Bath City FC’s new-look club and community hub
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019
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