The latest attempt to redevelop the old Whitegate Nurseries at Stockwood Hill on the edge of Keynsham has been successful.
The former Whitegates Nurseries site on Stockwood Hill
In December, we reported that an outline planning application had been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council to demolish the five disused buildings on the Green Belt site and put up three new ones containing 15 industrial units.
B&NES Council has now granted developer Whitegate Bristol Ltd permission.
Keynsham Town Council had objected to the proposed industrial units on the grounds of overdevelopment, access concerns, that Stockwood Hill can’t cope with more vehicle movements, the lack of a safe walking or cycling route to and from the site for employees, and incidents of flooding.
Ward councillors George Leach and Alex Beaunont (Keynsham North, Liberal Democrat) asked for the application to be called in to be decided by the planning committee, but the vice chair and chair agreed the decision could remain delegated.
Planning officers said the scheme is policy-compliant and has the full support of the council’s economic development team.
The planners were satisfied that the town council’s concerns had been addressed, or could be overcome by conditions, including the requirement for a detailed drainage strategy.
There will be a total of 35 car parking spaces at the site, with additional parking bays for delivery, servicing vehicles and visitors. There will also be provision for cycles.
The planning officers said a previous scheme for housing was refused and dismissed at appeal as it would not provide safe and convenient access to the site for pedestrians and there would be no genuine choice of sustainable transport facilities, but that scheme was for an “entirely different proposed use”.
The report acknowledged that the hill does not have a footway, street lighting or separate cycleways to connect to the nearest bus stop on Durley Hill, but the existing access is considered acceptable.
There are said to be good levels of visual screening and although the new metal-clad buildings at six metres will be higher than the ones they will replace, the new development will not have a substantial impact on the openness of the Green Belt.
Before each unit is occupied, full details of hours of use, hours of access and delivery/waste collection hours must be submitted to the council.
Avon & Somerset Police had initially objected to the proposed development, saying safety and security had not been adequately considered, but the applicant subsequently submitted a strategy considered acceptable.
Previous attempts to convert old nurseries
The nurseries and associated garden centre on Stockwood Hill closed in 2018 after trading for 64 years, with the owner blaming crippling business rates and competition from big retailers.
In 2021 there was an application to build up to nine homes on the site but it was later withdrawn. A proposal was then submitted to turn five of the buildings into six homes. But in refusing that scheme in 2022, B&NES Council said it would involve substantial re-construction of the buildings “tantamount to the construction of new houses within the open countryside”.
The council also said Stockwood Hill was not safe for cyclists or pedestrians and there were concerns about biodiversity and the impact on important trees and bats.
The developer went to appeal in 2023, and a planning inspector upheld the council’s decision. In autumn of that year an application to use part of the site for storage or as a distribution centre was submitted and later withdrawn.
