Rising water thwarts bridge building

Nicholas Coombes and the Quarry Road footbridge

Wet weather has delayed the opening of the new university footbridge over Quarry Road. The bridge is now in place, but staff estimate a further week before the approach paths are laid.

Delivery of the bridge itself was put back due to heavy rain as the police delayed the over-sized motorway convoy. Since then, the bridge has been installed but groundworks and concreting has understandably taken longer. The new bridge is higher to avoid tall vehicle strikes, but this means that the approach paths need to be re-graded. With drier weather forecast, this work is expected to be completed this week.

In a conversation with Cllr Coombes providing the revised information, the bridge project director apologised for the delay. Meanwhile the Vice-Chancellor is taking no chances and has arranged the formal opening ceremony for mid October.

Graffiti painted out

Graffiti painted out

Finally the graffiti on Pulteney Road railway bridge has been painted out by network rail.

I first reported this to them in February 2007, 18 months on the job has been done (admittedly in a good light you can stil make out the tag). However, the ground level graffiti tags on the brick arches have not yet been done, so I will have to start phoning again with reminders.

Youth Hostel license unused

Bath Youth Hostel 

I spoke today with the manager of Bath Youth Hostel, on Bathwick Hill. The hostel was recently granted a 24 hour drinking and entertainment license, to the concern of their neighbours.

The license was granted by BathNES as no objections were received from local residents. However, the licensing application was poorly advertised and neighbours were not notified of the application. The council claimed that this was because of guidance preventing them from ‘soliciting’ objections. Don Foster, MP for Bath and Shadow Culture Secretary, agrees that this was the case previously, but that he and others have since reversed this guidance in parliament.

BathNES should have advertised the licensing application more widely and are now aware of this following Don Foster’s intervention.

However, none of this matters to the manager of the hostel, who did not want a 24 hour license and has no intention to use it! The licenses were applied for by the Youth Hostel Association for every one of their hostels in England and Wales. The manager of Bath Youth Hostel says that their hostel, a Grade II listed building, does not attract many late night drinkers and those few are catered for in town. It makes no sense for the manager to staff a bar all night when there is no demand.

Therefore, despite gaining a 24 hour entertainment and alcohol license, the hours of operation have remained the same and the manager intends to continue closing the bar at 11pm, as she always has. The one exception may be New Year’s Eve, which is understandable.

If your experince suggests that the alcohol and entertainment license at the hostel has caused your quality of life to worsen, despite the manager’s assurances, please take notes and get in contact.

Tesco loading bay

Nick and Armand call for a zebra crossing 

Almost a year after planning permission was granted, the council has published its plans for a loading bay in front of the store, many months late.

The report is at http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/Committee_papers/Executive/WL/2008/080829/01E1832BathwickHillTescoLoadingBayObjections.htm which shows the plans and objections made by members of the public. There is now one week for members of the public to comment on the paper before Cllr Gerrish (Con, Keynsham N) makes his decision next week on whether to install the loading bay. Contact democratic_services@bathnes.gov.uk with your comments on decision number E1832. After this date, other councillors will have two weeks to ask him to reconsider his decision if desired.

This means that the loading bay could be marked out next month at the earliest, assuming that BathNES’ contractors are prompt. With the loading bay complete, Tesco will be allowed to open.

Lime Grove school site sold

Lime Grove School site 

The old school buildings on Lime Grove have now been sold by the council. Lime Grove and two other special schools were replaced by the award winning Three Ways special school.

The land, between the railway bridge on Pulteney Road and the allotments by the canal, has been bought by Unite, a student accomodation company; subject to contract exchange. Unite have one student accomodation block on the Lower Bristol Road with another under construction next door to it.

Summer updates

It’s been a while since my last post; I’ve been on holiday. However, not very much has happened anyway!

 The Tesco loading bay is still inexplicably held up in the system and I’ve issued another request for information.

The Quarry Road footbridge at the University is on target, due to be delivered through the city early on Monday morning, 1st September. The bridge is prefabricated entire and will be under police escort.

Meanwhile, this being August, there have been no council meetings; my most recent was a wonderfully intricate scrutiny panel with representatives from four councils reviewing the West of England partnership, focusing on residual waste. The agenda was several hundred pages long and the meeting itself lasted the whole morning.

If you’re on holiday, do enjoy it.

Uni footbridge update

Bath University

Bath University estates department have recvised their bridge replacement timetable, taking into account the Youth Games on campus this month.

The bridge has now been built by the contactors and is being painted this week. In a few weeks it will be driven down from Huddersfield with a police escort to Quarry Road. Quarry Road will be partially for fully closed from midnight 31st August until 6:30am on 4th September; although the contractors may be able to complete faster.

Youth Hostel license granted

In the same week that I re-joined the Youth Hostel Association, Bathwick Hill’s very own Youth Hostel was granted a mch extended alcohol and entertainment license.

The hostel has previously had a license for the sale of alcohol between 11am and 11pm, but following their refurbishment the new license permits for alcohol and entertainment 24 hours per day. The application, 08/02302/LAPRE is at http://planning.bathnes.gov.uk/PublicAccess/LI/LiApplication/li_application_detailview.aspx?refval=08/02302/LAPRE

 The license was granted because no objections were received. Given the controversy now this would seem odd, except that none of the neighbours (or councillors) knew about the application. Rules preventing the council from ‘soliciting objections’ restrict adverts to one lamp-post sign and one notice in the local paper. Following the planning applications related to the refurbishment, there have been application notices fixed to the nearest lamp post for months, so the neighbours did not notice this different notice until it was too late.

If you think that you are being affected by increased noise or disturbance, please make a record of these occurances for 6 weeks. Concerned residents can then apply for the license to be reviewed, possibly revoked, with these records used as evidence.

We apologise for the inconvenience

The wonderful Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors (ALDC) provide this website platform for free, allowing me to blog onto a professional looking site with minimal expertise or hassle. Unfortunately their computers have been ill recently and this site vanished. However, all appears to be well again now and I shall renew usual service.

Tesco kept at bay

Nick and Armand call for a zebra crossing Loading bay notice

One whole year after winning their planning appeal, Tesco are still unable to open their shop on Bathwick Hill. The loading bay, for which Tesco were compelled to pay the council, has nto yet been painhted outside the shop.

Design difficulties and continued staff shortage delayed the planning stages and the statutory consultation phase. As there were objections from the consultation, a report must be written for the conservative cabinet member. However, this still hasn’t been presented for a decision, delayed by another week. When the cabinet member does decide, there will be a further three week wait for ratification. The loading bay may be marked out in early August, with Tesco keen to open the moment it is ready.