Plans to alter an old car workshop in the city to create work and office spaces have been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The former Midland Car Company site | Image © Google Street View / Google 2024
The proposed alterations include partial demolition of 20-21 Green Park Mews to remove an asbestos roof and to provide suitable insulation.
The application, lodged by InvestAcc Pension Trustees Ltd, also includes raising the internal ground floor level for flood resilience as required by the change of use to commercial, business and services that was approved by council planners last July.
At the time, we reported that plans to change the use of the former sales, servicing and MoT centre had been approved despite the council’s economic development team recommending refusal based on the loss of industrial stock.
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 last year was accompanied by a marketing report showing there had been no real interest in the site for its current use.
Planning officers accepted there had been active and extended unsuccessful marketing and that there was “compelling evidence” to justify that continued industrial use was unviable.
As the site is in a sustainable location for a commercial, business or service use, they said it would help to mitigate the economic impact of the loss of industrial use.
There is no outside space or parking with the premises.
There are several other commercial buildings at Green Park Mews, including offices which have recently been granted planning permission.
The planning reference is 24/04752/FUL. The deadline for comments is 30th January.
