A planning application has been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council to demolish four retail units in Oldfield Park and build two new commercial units and five apartments.
The empty premises on Coronation Avenue | Image © Google Street View / Google 2025
Applicant PGF Investments South West Ltd is proposing a redevelopment of 133 to 139 Coronation Avenue at the junction of Chestnut Grove.
The four units on the site are currently vacant and a report submitted by architects with the planning application says that finding suitable tenants has been “hampered” by their condition, configuration and providing level access for customers.
It says: “The existing buildings are composed of four small commercial units that were originally designed as part of the wider 1920s masterplan to provide local convenience stores to supplement the surrounding residential development along Coronation Avenue.
“These commercial units have proven to have limited viability in this location and are currently unoccupied.”
To maximise the potential for the development site, the scheme provides five build-to-rent apartments which will provide “high-quality homes for local people”, above two “flexible-use retail spaces” on the ground floor.
The accommodation includes one two-bed duplex apartment, two two-bed apartments and two three-bed apartments.
Two car parking spaces are proposed along with storage for 12 bikes, and refuse and recycling storage areas.
The report says: “Car parking provision would be strictly limited to two spaces to the rear of the buildings, for residential parking. Any other parking is anticipated to take place on-street.
“Whilst the findings of the parking beat survey identified that there was little on-street capacity at present, it also identified very little change in that over the course of the daytime period and into the evening.
“It is therefore envisaged that the existing parking demand in the area closest to the application site is likely to be taking advantage of the fact that the site remains vacant.
“With the above in mind, it is considered likely that were the application site to become operational again, a level of turnover of parking capacity should become available again.”
A new on-street loading bay is proposed on Chestnut Grove to ensure that deliveries are able to take place without obstruction.
The planning reference is 25/03761/FUL. The deadline for comments is 22nd October.
