A plan to install a security gate to stop rough sleepers from taking shelter in the entrance lobby of a city centre shop has been refused.
Photo © The Cotswold Company
The Cotswold Company had highlighted problems connected to homeless people sleeping overnight at the front of the shop at 12 Northgate Street.
The building, which dates from the late 18th century, was for many years home to music company Duck, Son & Pinker. The shop front and interior date from around 1928.
An application for listed building consent was submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council to reduce the “negative social impact of rough sleeping in this specific location” and to preserve the Grade II listed building’s architectural and historical significance.
An accompanying statement said the shop front was “vulnerable to unauthorised access and misuse” and added: “The current situation, where rough sleepers occupy the shop front, has resulted in wear and tear on the building’s exterior, including littering and using the entrance as a toilet, causing hygiene and safety issues.”
It said the proposed gate had been “carefully designed” to blend in with the historic and architectural qualities of the shop front, could be easily installed and would allow the lobby to be locked and blocked off overnight.
It maintained the issue was being addressed in a “humane manner” by ensuring that rough sleepers are not forced into an environment that could exacerbate their situation.
However, B&NES Council planners have refused to grant consent, saying the proposal would harm the character of the shop front by infilling the open porch and obstructing views of the deeply recessed entrance and decorative tiling.
They said there would also likely be some loss or damage to the floor tiling as a result of the fixings and to the historic frame.
The officers said no evidence had been provided by the applicant to support the claim that rough sleeping has resulted in any more wear and tear to the building than would be expected as a result of footfall and general usage of a shop in a busy city centre.
They added: “Any damage to the building fabric should be prevented by regular cleaning and maintenance.”
The council had received one objection to the proposal, saying: “The application shows an appalling lack of compassion for people in an already hideous situation.
“Denying a small bit of shelter overnight on the hard ground for the sake of clearing a bit of litter or washing the entrance each morning is selfish and cruel.
“Bath doesn’t exist just to provide products to the wealthy – there are many people living in Bath, of varied circumstances, none of whom deserve this treatment.”
