The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 26: Winter 2022 | Page 5

This artist ’ s illustration shows the impact that the public realm changes could bring about , creating an environment where people are able to take much more ownership of the space and creating somewhere which can foster a more local community character .
A clear route exists to provide for servicing and access for

PUBLIC BACKING FOR MILSOM businesses and homes , but the street is predominantly for the benefit of pedestrians .

QUARTER MASTERPLAN

Plans to redevelop part of central Bath as a destination for fashion and culture , including providing a new home for the city ’ s worldrenowned fashion museum , have won approval from the public .
BUSINESS NEWS
An informal consultation on the Milsom Quarter Masterplan which ran from May to July this year found strong support for the scheme .
The Masterplan will revitalise the north of Bath city centre by attracting creative industries , providing 180 new homes and transforming the area into a nationally renowned fashion destination .
A total of 220 responses were received in the public consultation . Here is a summary of the response :
• 68 % of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with the vision for the Milsom Quarter as a destination for fashion and culture
• 70 % of respondents strongly agreed with the vision for the Milsom Quarter as a place for creativity and enterprise including the provision of new workspace
• 65 % of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with the vision for the Milsom Quarter connecting the city with Walcot Street and providing space for businesses
linked to food and drink , beauty and wellbeing and interiors linking to Walcot ’ s artisan offer
• 71 % of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with the vision for the Milsom Quarter providing new homes including above shops and new development with associated community facilities
• 61 % of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with the vision for the Milsom Quarter giving priority to walking , cycling and public transport while still maintaining vehicular access when needed and improving streets and spaces through public realm improvements
• 77 % of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with the vision for the Milsom Quarter becoming greener , with more plants and trees and a range of projects to improve energy efficiency and generate and store renewable energy .
Councillor Mark Roper , cabinet member for Economic Development , Regeneration & Growth , said , “ The Milsom Quarter
Masterplan is a long-term vision to regenerate the north of the city by providing more homes for the community , attracting more businesses and visitors and positioning the area as a fashion destination including the Fashion Museum . It ’ s a significant and wide-ranging plan which will also improve the public realm for everybody and make it safer and easier to travel on foot or by wheel .” The 6 key elements of the Masterplan are :
• Broad Street Yards – repurposing the council-owned car park to create maker space and flexible workspace for start-up businesses and SMEs .
• Walcot Gateway ( Cattlemarket ) – redeveloping a brownfield site and the disused Cornmarket building to create 70 new homes .
• Fashion Museum Bath – converting the listed Old Post Office to a new home for the Fashion Museum at the heart of Bath
• Improved public realm – to reduce the dominance of vehicles , prioritising walking ,
wheeling and cycling , and creating greener streets
• Energy and sustainability – reduce the carbon footprint of the area by retrofitting existing buildings and making new buildings zero-carbon
• Repurposing upper floors of buildings to provide more homes .
The Fashion Museum Bath relocation project will also create a new Fashion Collection Archive in Locksbrook , to the west of the city centre , to house the collection . The aim is for the Museum and Fashion Collection Archive to open in three to eight years ’ time , dependent on fundraising . To help deliver the project , the council has submitted a £ 20 million bid to the UK Government ’ s Levelling Up Fund to help complete the £ 37 million project .
For more info : beta . bathnes . gov . uk / milsom-quarter

Could Bridgerton be the name of new river crossing

Bath residents have been asked for their input on choosing a name for the new bridge across the River Avon at the centre of the city ' s new regenerated Bath Quays business district .
Residents can choose from five pre-selected names chosen by the Council or can make their own suggestion . The names suggested include :
• Bayer Bridge
• Newark Bridge
• Foundry Bridge
• Quays Bridge
• Craneworks Bridge
With Bath being known for its Georgian splendour and spectacular filming backdrops , The Business Exchange would like to suggest Bridgerton .
With the unwavering popularity of the Netflix period romance filmed across the city , it seems like a no-brainer to us !
The pedestrian and cycling bridge was designed by Marc Mimram and installed in November 2021 .
Councillor David Wood , cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services will make the final decision on the bridge ’ s name . He said , “ The naming of this bridge represents the next step in the creation of a new and vibrant quarter for Bath ’ s businesses to flourish .
“ Many of the names included on the shortlist reflect the history of the area . I would encourage people to choose their favourite or maybe submit their own
ideas for names that reflect the history or geography of the site or the surrounding area .”
The bridge naming event will run until 2nd December 2022 with the new name revealed in early 2023 .
For more info : www . bridgenamingbanes . co . uk
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2022 5