Bath is in the running for the prestigious title of Best Small City in the UK, Europe and Beyond in a major national awards scheme.
It was chosen as a finalist by a panel from the Academy of Urbanism, a not-for-profit organisation committed to creating, sustaining, and learning from great cities, towns, and neighbourhoods, following an initial nomination from a member of the public.
It will now compete as one of three national finalists in the Great Town or Small City category of the 2024 Urbanism Awards, which recognise the best, most enduring or most improved urban environments.
The other finalists are Lewes in Sussex and Shrewsbury in Shropshire.
The Academy of Urbanism panel selected Bath for its ambitious regeneration and place improvement projects along with its forward-looking approach to tackling the climate and nature emergencies.
Among the projects highlighted by the panel were the Milsom Quarter Masterplan, pictured, which looks to reimagine the northern part of the city centre by positioning it as a fashion destination.
The plans include a new Fashion Museum in the Old Post Office building on the corner of New Bond Street and Northgate Street, which would be the only museum in the UK dedicated to fashion heritage.
It would replace and enhance the Fashion Museum previously housed in Bath’s Assembly Rooms for nearly 60 years before closing two years ago.
The annual Urbanism Awards were launched in 2006. The most recent winners in the Great Town or Small City category have been Stromness in Orkney, Scotland, Dún Laoghaire in County Dublin, Ireland, and Penzance in Cornwall.
Finalists are assessed against seven criteria – Leadership and Governance, Local Character, Amenity and Housing, Commercial Success and Viability, Environmental Sustainability, Community, Health and Wellbeing, and Connectivity.
Bath, Lewes and Shrewsbury will be visited by the Academy of Urbanism later this year ahead of the awards ceremony in London on 13 November in London.
Bath & North East Somerset Council cabinet member for economic and cultural sustainable development, Cllr Paul Roper, said: “It’s fantastic that our projects to improve the urban landscape and environment of our communities are getting national recognition.
“To become a finalist for this award is a great achievement in itself.
“The recognition for our regeneration team at the council is well deserved. They have been working tirelessly on reshaping our high streets and town centres in Radstock, Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Bath, securing invaluable grant funding and making a real difference to our communities.
“We are looking forward to welcoming the Academy of Urbanism to Bath later this year to show them how our Bath Masterplan proposals are developing and demonstrate everything the city has to offer.”
