One of Bath’s major employers plans to relocate to the Pinesgate site on Lower Bristol Road.
The Pinesgate West site on the Lower Bristol Road | Image © Google Street View / Google 2025
A planning application has been lodged with Bath & North East Somerset Council by Watkin Property Ventures Investments Limited to retrofit the vacant Pinesgate West building on Lower Bristol Road into a “high-quality office space for a significant and respected local occupier”.
The Bath Echo understands the company is Buro Happold, the international engineering, design?and advisory consultancy, which employs more than 3,000 staff globally.
The company is currently based at Camden Mill on Lower Bristol Road.
Pinesgate has two office buildings – Pinesgate East and Pinesgate West – originally developed in the 1980s by the Ministry of Defence.
The application says the most recent occupier was Moco Claims and Services Limited
The application states: “The prospective tenant is a globally respected firm of consultants and a major employer, with its head office still proudly based in Bath.
How the redesigned building could look | Image © AWW Architects
“The city remains central to the company’s identity – both culturally and operationally – with the Bath office continuing to be one of the largest and most significant within the global practice.”
It adds: “With their existing lease approaching expiry, the tenant has undertaken a comprehensive search for new office premises, with a strong preference to remain in Bath.
“Their objective is to secure a workspace that reflects the firm’s core values of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability. Pinesgate West has emerged as the only viable option within Bath that meets the tenant’s requirements.
“The firm now seeks to work in partnership with the landlord, Watkin Property Ventures Investments Limited, to refurbish the building. The shared ambition is to transform the property into a highly sustainable, all-electric workspace that prioritises low-carbon design, staff wellbeing, and exemplary building performance.”
The refurbishment aims to retain the existing structure, significantly improve the building’s thermal efficiency and visual appearance, and introduce high-quality outside amenity spaces.
The plans include removing eight car parking spaces, adding six new electric vehicle (EV) charging points, increasing cycle parking provision from 20 to 100 bikes, installing a new PV array on the rooftop area, and adding showers and changing cubicles.
The planning reference is 25/03816/FUL and the deadline for comments is 27th October.
