Plans to change the use of a vacant car sales, servicing and MoT centre in the city have been approved, despite concerns raised by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s economic development team.
The former Midland Car Company site | Image © Google Street View / Google 2024
Owner Alan Hole’s family traded at 20-21 Green Park Mews as Midland Garage from the 1960s and in 2007 the business was sold to Newbridge Autos under a lease that expired at the end of 2022.
The change of use application to the council was accompanied by a marketing report showing there has been no real interest in the site for its current use.
Permission was sought to change the use to commercial, business and services, which would increase the number of employees on the site and be of “significant” economic benefit.
However, the council’s economic development team had recommended refusal based on the loss of industrial stock.
They said there is a “huge demand” for space of this nature within the Bath area and that since 2011 there have been “chronic losses of industrial space” far exceeding the amount set within the Bath Spatial Strategy.
But council planning officers said there appeared to be “some disparity” between the market conditions and availability of industrial premises referred to by the economic development team, and the experience of the owner and marketing agent for the Green Park Mew site.
In their report, they said: “The applicant’s planning statement refers to the lack of parking, poor access, and congested inner city location, as well as low ceiling heights being potential deterrents for continued industrial use.
“It is also recognised that many industrial uses may prefer lower levels of residential use in the surroundings than this city centre location to avoid possible disturbance and complaints.
“These are all accepted as relevant factors and material considerations when assessing the viability of continued industrial use of the garage at 20-21 Green Park Mews.”
The planners accepted that there had been active and extended unsuccessful marketing and there was “compelling evidence” to justify that continued industrial use was unviable.
Their report noted that the site is in a sustainable location for a commercial, business or service use and will help to mitigate the economic impact of the loss of industrial use.
The site does not have any visitor or staff car parking and the proposed premises would not either.
There is space to accommodate a secure and accessible cycle parking solution for four bikes which is a condition of the planning permission.
