Fashion retailer Zara has submitted a planning application to use the former Iceland store in Bath city centre for storage for three years.
The former Iceland store in Bath, which closed in 2022 | Photo © Claudio Divizia / Shutterstock.com
The existing back-of-house storage space at Zara, 50 metres away in Southgate Place, would then become retail floor space to effectively create a larger shop.
Iceland left 4 Ham Gardens in April 2022 and the ground-floor unit has remained vacant since then.
The bid for a temporary change of use has been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council and includes minor internal operations. No external changes are proposed.
The new Zara store in SouthGate | Photo © SouthGate Bath
The application says that the change of use would result in the temporary net loss of 391sq m of retail space but points out that the site has been vacant for two years and at present provides “no meaningful contribution” to the shopping area or wider city centre.
Instead the proposal would bring the site back into “active commercial use”.
Vehicular and servicing access is provided along Ham Gardens via Kingston Road.
The planning reference is 24/00574/FUL. The deadline for comments is 15th March.
