Fifty-eight homes are to be built on the former Royal High Junior School campus in Bath’s Lansdown conservation area.
Property agent Alder King secured planning permission for the development on appeal. London-based developer Square Bay will now build 54 homes on the upper part of the 2.5 hectare brownfield site now occupied by vacant school buildings.
The homes will be built in traditional terraces using Bath stone with 20 affordable retirement apartments aimed at the over 55s market, with the aim of freeing up existing family accommodation in the city.
The original Grade II listed Hope House will be retained and refurbished for residential use.
The remaining four properties will be built on the lower part of the site. The terraced properties will be of a simple but contemporary low level design to blend into the landscape and minimise impact on adjacent properties. The site’s iconic parkland will be preserved and enhanced with the planting of 84 new trees as well as 1,400 new shrubs.
The planning application, although recommended for approval by Bath and North East Somerset Council officers, was originally refused by committee on the grounds of the design and impact of the four contemporary new homes on the conservation area.
Alder King were instructed to launch an appeal which was considered via a hearing last month. It also submitted an application for 54 units on the upper part of the site. Permission was forthcoming for this application and the appeal was allowed, with the Inspector concluding that the scheme would preserve and enhance the conservation area, setting of the Grade II listed Hope House and the World Heritage Site.
Alan Pearce, partner at Alder King said: “We are delighted that the Inspector agreed that the design of the buildings would be visually attractive and preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area. This decision will allow a currently vacant school site to be appropriately redeveloped to provide much needed housing of high quality and provide a good example of how contemporary architecture can fit within Bath.”
Pictured: A CGI view of Hope House
