Plans to pull down the Victoria Park Business Centre in Bath and build up to 272 “co-living studios” have been revealed.
BC Bath Ltd have owned the site, on the corner of Windsor Bridge Road and Upper Bristol Road, since 2007.
Apart from the modern employment units, it has been vacant for more than 20 years.
The site was formerly developed as a part of the wider Bath Gas Works.
The new development aims to create an alternative for younger adults to HMO and shared housing provision. It will be promoted in partnership with VervLife, the largest manager of co-living accommodation in the UK.
The site has been identified by Bath & North East Somerset Council as a development opportunity and is allocated by the council for housing.
Before a full planning application is submitted however, planning consultants PlanningSphere, acting on behalf of BC Bath Ltd, have asked the council to agree that as the scale, nature and location of the proposals are not likely to have significant effects, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) will not be required.
Although located within the Bath Air Quality Management Area, given the proposed residential use – with minimal parking and a reliance on non-car transport – a significant environmental effect would not be likely, say the consultants.
In total six parking spaces are proposed for the redevelopment, along with 301 cycle spaces.
The consultants say the redevelopment would be coordinated with “remediation and redevelopment” of the adjacent Midland Road waste depot site that is owned by the council.
They add: “However, the proposals have also been designed to be implemented on a standalone basis, utilising the existing Midland Road access on a temporary basis until such time as the adjacent depot site is redeveloped.”
There is already planning approval for 176 new affordable and market homes at the depot and the council intends to build a replacement at Locksbrook Road – a scheme that is proving controversial.
The council is expected to give its opinion on whether an EIA is needed for BC Bath Ltd’s proposals by 2nd January.
