Unite, a private student accommodation developer, are in the process of buying the old Lime Grove school site from BathNES council. The land is between the railway and canal allotments, near Pulteney Road

The former special school has been empty for a year since pupils and teachers transferred to the award winning Three Ways School. The project was effectively paid for by the sale of the three redundant sites. While empty the school was briefly home to squatters before prompt action by residents and councillors had them moved on.

Unite are a nationwide commercial firm who operate student accommodation. In Bath they run Waterside court on the Lower Bristol Road and are building a second block next door. These have hundreds of en-suite single bedroom units and live in managers. Students staying there are contractually obliged not to park a car in the vicinity.

Today Unite presented their preliminary plans to Cllrs Coombes (Bathwick) and Gilchrist (Widcombe) who represents the Lime Grove residents. Currently Unite envisage a 200 bedroom block beside the railway embankment of 3 and 4 floors and a smaller block beside the allotments. Unite are discussing this with planning officers and have promised to hold a public consultation before they make a planning application.

Don Foster MP and his Lib Dem colleagues are urging the government that this type of accommodation be included in housing targets – see www.ourcampaign.org.uk/studenthousingshouldcount.

The government has recently demanded that BathNES council allow 21,600 new homes to be built, far above the council’s own top suggestion of 15,000. Don Foster is chairing a public meeting on this subject on 30th September at 7:30 in Bath Guildhall.