Plans for a mixed-use scheme including almost 250 new homes on the former Bath Press site have been given the green light by B&NES councillors.
Here’s an on-line news item on the matter from Stephen Farrell who is Digital staff writer for Insider Media Limited. This was written before the B&NES decision to give the scheme the go-ahead.
‘An application to redevelop the site was submitted by Spenhill Developments, a subsidiary of Tesco, in May 2015. The site was sold five months later as part of a £250m deal involving 14 Spenhill developments in the South of England to Meyer Bergman, a pan-European real estate investment manager.
The Bath Press building dates back to the 1880s and was originally used as a printing factory and offices for Pitman and Sons. It has been vacant since 2007.
The proposals cover the demolition of the existing buildings, with the exception of the façade, chimney and rear boundary wall, and construction of a new mixed-use scheme.
A total of 244 new homes will be built as part of the project alongside 16,000 sq ft of commercial space and basement car park. The housing will be a mix of one to four bedroom properties with provision for 14 per cent affordable housing. It is expected that the employment space will provide 125 jobs.
A previous application, comprising a 67,812 sq ft Tesco store, 28,000 sq ft of office space, 2,368 sq ft of community space, ten houses and a basement car park, was refused planning permission in January 2013 with an appeal dismissed later in the year.
However, the latest plans are recommended for approval at a meeting of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s development management committee on Wednesday (13 January 2016).
This is subject to conditions including the signing of a section 106 order that would secure recruitment and training opportunities and the submission of further details on the retained façade and access.
The report said: “This proposal has been the subject of extensive negotiations with the applicant and whilst there are a number of matters relating to the details of the scheme that need to be resolved it is considered the application can be recommended for permission subject to the resolution of the outstanding details referred to within this report and subject to a section 106 agreement.
“There are significant benefits to providing additional housing on this previously developed site in addition to providing more modern business units.”
The council has received 33 representations from local resident commenting or objecting to the plans, as well as objections from organisations including the Twentieth Century Society, Victorian Society, Bath Heritage Watchdog and Transition Bath.’
The original report can be read at
