Plans to turn a fire-devastated city pub into homes have been approved by Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The former Rising Sun pub on Grove Street
The Grade II-listed Rising Sun in Bathwick, which has been closed since the blaze in September 2022, will be converted into seven apartments, and a coach house maisonette will replace the rear skittle alley building.
Sixteen guests had been staying overnight in eight letting rooms at the Grove Street pub when the fire broke out. They were evacuated after a passer-by called 999 to report flames coming out of the roof.
An investigation found three safety breaches and in 2023 the ex-landlord Norman Butcher received a suspended jail sentence and was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
Last year, Bath & North East Somerset Council approved plans to remove fire and water-damaged debris and to re-instate the third floor and roof.
Bedstone Developments Rising Sun Ltd said the works would enable the building to be returned to a “suitable and viable use” that would be discussed with the council.
There was no interest from prospective pub operators, so the developer subsequently applied for planning permission and listed building consent to turn the pub into apartments with a coach house on the footprint of the rear extension.
A report from Savills, which accompanied the application, said that although the public house market remained “very active”, interest from licensed operators was focused on the “best quality assets”.
The report said: “Despite the property’s central location within Bath and its proximity to the Bath Recreation Ground, it is situated in a secondary location away from the main commercial thoroughfares and high footfall areas.
“The property offers a small rear trade garden proximate to existing residential properties, which may limit its operational appeal to pub operators. No off-street customer car parking is available.”
Based on the interest received during the extensive marketing campaign, Savills confirmed a “clear market preference” for redevelopment of the site with all enquiries and offers coming from developers, investors and builders.
Bath Preservation Trust had said it was “broadly supportive of the principle of development, as it will repair and re-use the damaged vacant listed building and add to housing provision within the city, in turn providing evident public benefits”.
The pub will be converted into six one-bed apartments and one with two bedrooms. The coach house will also have two bedrooms. The rear courtyard will include storage for bikes and refuse/recycling.
The coach house will be built as an accessible home but it is not possible for the main building to comply with this standard due to access and internal floor area constraints of the listed building.
Council planners said the scheme would not cause significant harm to the amenities of any occupiers or neighbours.
Bedstone has also been converting the vacant halls and vestries at the neighbouring old Central United Reformed Church into apartments.
