Plans to change the use of a vacant historic Bath pub have been given the green light.
The former Chapter One pub on the London Road | Photo © IanRedding / Shutterstock.com
Saraj Property Limited submitted proposals and an application seeking listed building consent to Bath & North East Somerset Council for the Chapter One brewpub at 1a Piccadilly Place.
The Grade II listed building is on London Road at the junction with Hanover Street and is believed to date from around 1796. Historically it was The Hanover Hotel before later becoming The Britannia pub.
Chapter One closed on New Year’s Eve 2022 after trading for more than six years.
The application proposed a “viable new use” for the building, saying it did not have a “credible or economically sustainable future” as a pub due to reasons including its condition and lack of a commercial kitchen or outdoor space.
The scheme includes changing part of the ground floor from a pub to commercial use and converting the three-bed apartment on the first floor into a four-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) for eight people.
The proposals initially included a one-bed ground-floor flat, but this was dropped due to concerns that there would be limited natural light and little to no outlook. This part of the building has been re-designated as ancillary commercial space.
The council received 15 objections to the change of use, with concerns including that the HMO would be cramped and lead to a high turnover of renters, cause noise disturbance and littering.
Objectors also said the loss of the pub due to non-viability had not been proven.
A representative of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) wrote to say that the proposal did not show that the pub had been marketed at a realistic price.
Other concerns included the lack of parking and that the proposed commercial unit is unnecessary as the property is so close to both Morrisons and a well-stocked petrol station.
In their analysis, council planners said the HMO proposal is in line with policy as there would be no ‘sandwiching’ of a residential property by two HMOs, and the concentration of HMOs within a 100-metre radius would be brought up to 4% which is within the 10% threshold.
They noted there had been 27 enquiries over the marketing period of the pub from April to November 2024, with only eight viewings, and none had been pub operators or brewers.
They considered that the property had been marketed in a variety of ways and appeared to have been “thorough”.
The council officers agreed that a small-scale commercial unit in this location could meet additional need so is acceptable.
Although there are no car parking facilities, the site is said to be in a highly sustainable location and there will be secure storage for six bikes.
