Another attempt is being made to redevelop a block of derelict public toilets that closed more than a decade ago.
The loos in Weston village
The application to convert the single-storey building in High Street in Upper Weston to a two-bed house has been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council by Context Planning Ltd.
The application says the site has recently changed hands following three refused planning applications.
The block, which has been closed since July 2014, is set back with landscape planting separating it from the street.
It is next to a footpath and Brookside House on one side, and Grade II-listed Pen Hill Farmhouse is on the other.
The first planning application, lodged at the end of 2017, was to demolish the block and build three one-bed flats of similar design and appearance to neighbouring Brookside House.
The reasons for refusal were the harm to both the setting of the listed farmhouse and the Bath Conservation Area that would be caused by the height and scale of the flats, which would also have a significant negative impact on nearby homes in terms of loss of light and privacy.
The council also said that adequate provision could not be made on the site for parking.
The owner lodged an appeal but it was dismissed by an inspector.
The second bid in 2018 was to knock down the block and build a pair of semi-detached houses. The reasons given by the council for refusal were the lack of a flooding sequential test, harm to road safety, loss of on-street parking, and the lack of private outdoor space.
In 2019 a scheme to convert and extend the block to form two two-bed flats was also refused due to the lack of both private outdoor space and parking, which would likely result in “inappropriate parking” on the road.
In this latest application, Context Planning says the toilet block will be reused and converted to form a two-bed bed house. Additional space will be created with a small increase in the roof height and a front-facing, single-storey extension.
All new windows and doors will be high-performance, double-glazed units to improve thermal efficiency and reduce heat loss. Bin and bike storage is proposed.
There is no parking proposed but the planning consultants say: “A solution must be found as the site has remained vacant for a significant period of time. It is not viable to deliver a non-residential development, and a residential scheme is therefore the only realistic option.”
They say there have been examples nearby of car-free developments and in this particular case, it is not considered necessary to provide on-site parking given the “highly sustainable” nature of the site and the small-scale development proposed.
The site is close to shops and facilities and well located for bus services.
Although there will only be a small, landscaped area space at the front of the property, there is said to be an “abundance of outdoor recreational space” nearby with Weston Recreation Ground and the Cotswold Way 300 metres away.
The consultants also say: “The conversion and extension of the building that has been out of use for the past 11 years would result in an enhancement to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and preserve the significance of the neighbouring listed building.”
Anyone wishing to comment on the plans has until the end of July.
