Hartwell development site.

Always happy to let Bath Newseum followers present their own bits of heritage information affecting the city of Bath when it is of general interest.

So here’s what John Taylor has to say:

“I had an email last week from the Planning Department informing me that the Planning Inspector had ruled in favour of the Hartwell development in Newbridge, overturning BANES rejection of outline planning permission.

To say that everyone locally is surprised is an understatement. 

I’d never followed an Inquiry in detail before and this was the first report I’d read from cover to cover. I was left scratching my head,  because although the inspector keeps accepting that there are valid concerns about the size of the development etc in his opinion this doesn’t matter. 

 I listened to presentations from Bath Preservation Trust and other expert witnesses, all of who objected to the over development of the site. I ended up with no trust whatever in the system when such forensic objections were simply ignored by one individual who has no knowledge of the locality.

I felt very sorry for our local councillors who have been so supportive of local residents who argued for a smaller scheme.”

Any of your readers who are interested can find more information and a link to the Inspector’s report on the local community website: Appeal – Hartwell Site Over Development (Bath) (wordpress.com).