Outline planning permission is being sought to build 18 new homes on green belt land in Lower Swainswick on the outskirts of Bath.

The location of the development at the junction of Ferndale Road and Deadmill Lane | Photo © Bath Echo
The proposed development, which includes the potential for eighteen 2 and 3 bedroom homes, is located on the corner of Ferndale Road and Deadmill Lane.
Affordable housing provider St. Arthur Homes has already agreed in principle to acquire the homes on the development, offering them as shared ownership.
The plans, which describe how occupants would not need a vehicle to live in the dwellings due to the locality of bus stops and a short walk to Larkhall, also include two assigned parking spaces per house, along with three additional visitor spaces.
The site sits inside the green belt boundary but outside of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and a conservation area.
The planning documents say the northern part of the site is currently used as grazing land, with the southern area being derelict with no current use.
A policy to protect green belt land allows for the creation of “limited affordable housing for local community needs”.
Homes at the proposed development will include solar panel systems and heating will be provided by an air-source heat pump.
There will also be electric vehicle charging points. Sedum and wildflower roofs are also planned to “encourage biodiversity”.
The application has already received over 50 objection comments, with many opponents concerned about the increased traffic the development could bring to both Ferndale Road and Deadmill Road, both of which are used as rat runs by those avoiding the busy London Road when coming off the A46 into Bath.
Previous proposals to create a village hall in 1996, and build single dwellings in 1998 and 2001 were all refused.
The outline planning application for the new development can be found on Bath & North East Somerset Council’s website planning search, using the reference 20/00491/OUT.