Loving our streets.

Broad Street Place in Bath has recently had a bit of a makeover.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has been working with neighbours and businesses to create, as the press release says, “a nature-friendly and attractive space where residents and visitors can relax.”

New street furniture, colourful public art and festoon lighting are among the transformative improvements that have been made to the area, accessible from both Broad Street and Walcot Street, to provide a distinctive space for the community in the heart of the city centre.

The plans for the space were developed working closely with local businesses and residents and Bath BID, which has supported the project.

A variety of new plants and innovative ground surfacing, which better protects the roots of the mature trees and is water-permeable, was installed alongside bird boxes and stonemasonry repairs to an existing raised planter.

The £89,800 project has been funded by a combination of Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), B&NES capital maintenance and the West of England Combined Authority’s Love Our High Streets programme.

The Broad Street Place scheme is part of the council’s Bath City Centre regeneration programme and its Milsom Quarter Masterplan.

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “It’s wonderful to see Broad Street Place transformed into a vibrant space for residents, families and visitors to find a calm and welcoming spot amid the hustle and bustle of the city.

“It’s also a great example of how we can reimagine our public spaces and support the vitality of our high streets by working together with residents and local businesses.”

Helen Godwin, the Mayor of the West of England, said: “Bath is rightly world-renowned for its history and beauty. Broad Street remains rooted in the city’s unique character, with new seating, art and greenery bringing the area even more to life today.

“With local and regional funding, together we are investing in places where people want to meet, spend time, and enjoy. Projects like this give local residents and visitors alike more reasons to spend more time here, supporting the West’s businesses.”

The above ‘press release’ reminded me that a couple of weeks ago l received a comment on the transformation that was not quite so complimentary.

I won’t name the sender – as that person didn’t ask to be named – but wanted to draw my attention to a more critical view of the scheme :

“I don’t know if I am just one of hundreds of people contacting you about the recent developments in Broad St Place, where the paving stones have been replaced by a loose mixture of sand and gravel.

Needless to say the wind tunnel of the very uneven, steep steps up from Walcot St and the general use of the Place, not to mention the endless sand incursion into the YMCA and the Pilates studio, make it a very shabby experience, despite Cllr George Tomlin’s hope, expressed to me and all other commentators, that it will revive the area.”

Cllr Tomlin is a ward councillor for Kingsmead, and l asked him to comment. He sent me the following message.

“With a number of mature trees on site, an extensive root network has created uneven ground conditions and caused multiple concrete paving slabs to lift throughout the space, requiring temporary barriers to be in situ long-term. The new permeable and flexible surface has this and an improved condition for the trees to thrive.

Following installation during a very dry summer, there has been fine loose sand present; however, this will not remain, and the situation has already improved significantly, whilst also continuing to be closely monitored.

This surface is a new material for the Council, but it aligns very well environmentally. Thank you to the businesses who have supported the scheme, and worked on the funding bids with us and for their patience as the new surface has bedded in.”