Bath and North East Somerset Council are set to give the green light for an ambitious regeneration project set to transform Bath’s riverside. The proposed Bath Quays North development includes retail, residential and office space within the plans, along with a 130-room hotel.

The £120m scheme covers 5.4-acres and would replace the current multi-storey car park, coach station and other areas on Avon Street with a new thriving and bustling area. The site, located just five minutes walk from the Bath Spa railway station, has been described as the Bath & North East Somerset Council’s ‘flagship development’.

The scheme will be touched on at the West of England Economic Growth Conference where we’ll be hearing from civic and business leaders and major developers who’ll be presenting about ongoing and future schemes set to drive economic growth across the West of England. It’s projected that this scheme could have a huge impact on the regional economy – resulting in almost £30m GVA contribution per year over the construction period and the potential to drive £118m once fully complete.

Plans highlight the development would take place over seven buildings, with 409,000 sq ft of internal space as well as a basement car park. Bath Quays North will also include 269,000 sq ft of office space and up to 48,400 sq ft set aside for retail and leisure purposes – along with a 130-bed hotel and up to 270 residential homes in a boost for local housing numbers.

The report highlighting the plans says: ”Bath Quays North is vitally important to Bath’s strategic ambition to attract and retain businesses within the city centre, and to overcome the historic ‘severance’ between Bath and the River Avon caused by post-war highways works and associated carpark and coach park uses in the area. The project has a central role in achieving these objectives, and the proposals that follow have been developed to make the most of the site’s intrinsic qualities and opportunities, while mitigating conflicts which could arise as a result of its constraints.”

One of the key economic benefits will be the creation of 1,900 new jobs from the development, which will also boost retail spending in Bath by almost £3m and leisure spending by almost £2m.

The report continues: ”The development will provide new employment space to support the delivery of the council’s economic strategy as well as a mix of other uses appropriate for this key city centre site. The proposed scale and maximum height of the buildings is greater than that set out in the Building Heights Strategy and that of listed buildings immediately adjoining the site. It’s acknowledged that the development will give rise to harm to their setting, to the World Heritage Site and the conservation area. However this harm is considered to be less than substantial and is outweighed by the public benefits arising from the development.”

The final decision on approval is to be made and announced on the 1st August.

Join us to find out about the exciting developments happening across the region at the West of England Economic Growth Conference.