Plans to transform a major brownfield site near Bath city centre with a mixed-use development of homes and business space are to be submitted for planning approval.
The derelict 4.5-acre former Homebase site on Pines Way was acquired by London-based Developer HUB and Bridges Fund Management, a London-based fund manager specialising in sustainable and impact investing, at the end of last year.
The have now drawn up a scheme, pictured, that includes 275 build-to-rent homes, 180 shared living homes and more than 10,000 sq ft of commercial and amenity space on what is seen as the final piece in the wider regeneration of Bath’s Western Riverside enterprise area.
The plans, which have been sent to Bath & North East Somerset Council’s planners, were devised following an extensive community engagement with more than 1,000 local people attending four events.
The developers said the number of affordable homes in the scheme was yet to be determined. They will sit alongside three-bedroom homes described as being “well-suited for families”.
The masterplan for the site aims to create a unique riverside community within a 15-minute walk of Bath city centre and railway station.
HUB development director Victoria Manston described it as a fundamental component of Bath Western Riverside’s wider regeneration.
“The scheme has the opportunity to transform a vacant brownfield site into a thriving new neighbourhood – delivering new commercial space alongside high-quality homes for the city’s growing community of workers,” she said.
“Bath is hailed globally for its historic design and we have worked alongside Bath & North East Somerset Council, local stakeholders and heritage advisors to ensure the project complements the area’s UNESCO World Heritage status.
“We have seen firsthand how the build-to-rent and shared-living models catalyse regeneration and we are confident this scheme will enrich this historic city whilst addressing the region’s recently doubled housing delivery target.”
The build-to-rent sector is fast becoming an established part of the UK housing market to meet demand for high-quality, well-managed rented housing.
It has expanded rapidly over recent years, spreading from London into vibrant regional cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol.
According to a recent report by property consultants Savills, there are now 112,800 build-to-rent homes in the planning pipeline, including those in the pre-application stage. This takes the total size of the sector to 267,000 homes.
HUB, which has a development portfolio that includes schemes in central and suburban London, Birmingham and Edinburgh with 8,800 homes completed or under development, said residents on the Pines Way site would have access to extensive green spaces, communal gardens, biodiverse landscaping and new pedestrian and cycle routes connecting it to the city centre. Cycle storage and a mobility hub would also be available.
Each home will achieve at least an EPC B rating, with the shared living ones achieving EPC A. Instead of fossil fuels, the development will use high-efficiency air source heat pumps, making it net zero operational carbon as the national grid decarbonises.
The site’s design would deliver biodiversity net gain of 30% – greater than policy requirements – according to London-based JTP Architects, which designed the scheme.
Partner Nigel Bidwell said: “The Pines Way proposal seeks to balance the sensitivities of this special city with the exciting and important opportunity of contributing to its newest quarter at Bath Western Riverside.
“The design strives to form connections – in providing new greened routes to the city centre but also in its architecture, drawing from the industrial heritage of the site and its river valley setting and this has been further enriched through an engaging and rewarding process with local people.”
Bridges Fund Management investment manager Adam Amijee said the proposed transformation would provide much-needed high-quality new homes for Bath’s growing population, while also helping to revitalise an attractive but derelict riverside area.
“From our experience of building thousands of new homes across the UK, we understand how to create developments that meet local needs while also minimising environmental impact, through reduced embodied and operational carbon emissions,” he added.
“We believe this development can be a real asset to the city and the local community.”
