Planning Application In For Green Park Development

The Berkeley Group has now submitted a planning application for the regeneration of the site of Green Park House, a derelict former residential care home in Bath.

The redevelopment plans also include include neighbouring Ernest Ireland House, a vacant 1960s office block.

The site previously had planning consent for a 190 bed hotel and office space, however no development based on this consent was brought forward by the previous owners of the site.

The building, which currently sits boarded up, occupies a prominent position overlooking Green Park and the River Avon and Berkeley Group’s planning application brings the long awaited redevelopment of the site a step closer.

If approved by Bath and North East Somerset Council, the site will be comprehensively redeveloped with purpose-built, managed student accommodation following the architectural principles established by the previous consent for the site.

The plans were well received at a public exhibition in December 2013, with the vast majority of those who attended indicating their support for the plans. The proposed architecture proved particularly popular, although amendments have been made in response to the exhibition feedback, with the height of the building reduced towards the north of the site adjacent to the Salvation Army Bath Citadel.

The revised heights and Georgian detailing more closely mirror the Georgian terrace opposite at Green Park, and reflect the terrace that would have occupied the site prior to World War II.

Andrew Saunders-Davies of Berkeley group said: “We were pleased with the largely positive reception our plans received when they went on show to the public before Christmas. We have now tweaked the final designs in response to consultation with the public and Council officers.

“The provision of properly managed student accommodation such as this ties in well with the Council’s recent decision to legislate to reduce the number of student houseshares in parts of the city like Oldfield Park, and will be important in helping free up the city’s housing stock for families and first time buyers.”

Located close to key transport hubs, the accommodation will not have any car parking, with tenants being prevented from having cars under the terms of their contracts or applying for residents’ permits, policies that are already successfully enforced at other managed student blocks in the city.

The development will also benefit from 24 hours on-site management ensuring the safety and security of students.

“The site is situated in an extremely suitable location for student housing” added Mr Saunders-Davies, “lying close to key bus routes to both university campuses, and a short walk from the City of Bath College. It is also well located for the city centre and nearby Kingsmead Leisure Complex and as such will boost local businesses.”

The full planning application can be viewed on Bath and North East Somerset’s website by searching under planning reference 14/00480/FUL, where members of the public can also leave comments.