Action on King Edwards traffic

Traffic at King Edwards

King Edwards School last night re-launched their travel plan. A working group was formed to update their Travel Plan and pursue the recommendations.

While there may have been slow progress in the past, the school has worked hard to get all ‘stake-holders’ represented for the new plan. School pupils, parents, teachers and neighbours were invited and represented at last night’s meeting, plus BathNES staff and local councillor Nicholas Coombes.

“I am encouraged that the school has chosen to work with local residents on this.” said Cllr Coombes, “Travel arrangements are a matter of good neighbourliness and also of environmental concern. I am happy to join the working group to follow this through.”

Home to school tansport is a matter of concern accross the whole of BathNES (see http://nicholascoombes.mycouncillor.org.uk/2008/01/29/school-buses/) and has been the matter of a review launched by the Liberal Democrats. Bath’s Lib Dem councillors believe that money spent on the Bath Rapid Transit bus road would be better improving and reducing the cost of transport for young people to reduce school time traffic.

University Masterplan Response

Consultation on the University Draft Masterplan closed earlier this month, following an exhibition in the Library foyer and Bath Guildhall.

The masterplan seeks to densify the university campus to accommodate new teaching facilities and double the number of student beds on campus. Full plans are available at www.bath.ac.uk/masterplan.

Bathwick councillors have been involved in the masterplan consultation process and are broadly supportive of the proposals. However, Cllrs Coombes and Edwards do have some serious concerns about the proposed parking provision.

The plan seeks to expand the East car park along the Eastern boundary, tarmacing over the sports fields on the National Trust boundary. Tennis courts on Convocation Avenue (parallel to Beech Ave) are also to be replaced by car parks, providing 600 extra spaces.

“Such an increase in car parking cannot be justified; the University and council should concentrate on providing and promoting sustainable transport to the campus” said Bath graduate, Nicholas Coombes. “Extra spaces on campus will only serve suppressed demand and will not prevent parking on nearby residential streets.”

Armand Edwards, still studying at Bath Univesity, recognised “From a student’s perspective, more accommodation on campus is good, but the loss of sports facilities and green space must be resisted. The masterplan must also address the poor provision of social space on the campus for existing students.”

University masterplan revealed

Bath University

The full masterplan for Bath University has been put on display in the Library on the Claverton campus.

Following a ‘planning for real’ session and further residents’ consultations, Prof Alan Day, the university architect and Dean of design, has presented his plans for the next few years of university growth. The plan shows accomodation development on the East car park and along the Northern fringe of the campus, with car parking moved out towards the Claverton Down entrance.

The exhibition will be open in the library foyer until Friday, 24 hours per day, with staff to explain the proposals between 12 and 2pm. The exhibition will transfer to Bath Guildhall for the weekend, see http://www.bath.ac.uk/masterplan/ for details of the exhibitions and a summary of the proposals.

The second bridge party

Quarry Road footbridge

The Quarry Road footbridge was opened again last week, this time by the University deputy Vice-Chancellor. Having been to the first bridge opening with local residents and walkers, I could hardly refuse this invite with a buffet lunch included.

While on the bridge (with fewer guests that the first photo – above) the deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Kevin Edge spoke about the University’s commitment to access around the campus, with the bridge and recent path improvements to the North, completing a circular walking route around the Claverton campus.

Prof Edge will also be chairing the new University-Residents Forum which I have set up, meeting three times per year to discuss issues of neighbourliness. Details of this will be resolved at the public meeting for the University masterplan later this month.

Campus moving days – this weekend

Bath University

The university Autumn term starts next week, but new students are moving into their campus halls this weekend.

20% of students are expected to arrive on Saturday with the majority, 60% on Sunday. The remainder will move into their new accomodation on Monday. Locals will know to expect heavy traffic, especially from the motorway, and queues on the university campus. It may also be a bad time to shop at Fresh or attempt a coffee at Dolce Vita (these are the campus retail outlets).

This means that Freshers’ week is about to begin, with young adults newly liberated from their families starting an independent life. The Students’ Union has promised a greater choice of alcohol free events and a reduced level of Bathwick Hill commuting from previous years. Please be understanding, but if you have reasonable concerns, call the student action line (01225 385245) or use this webform http://www.townandgown.org.uk/complaint to leave a message.

Bath University’s masterplanning exercise reaches another stage next month with the publication and consultation on the draft masterplan. A staffed exhibition will take place on campus in the University library (27th-31st October, open 24hrs, staffed 12-2pm) and in the Bath Guildhall (31st Oct and Sat 1st Nov). This will show areas of the campus thought suitable for academic facilities, residential units and areas not suitable for development. Yours comments and suggestions will be invited.

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.

UK School Games in Bath

Bath University Sports Training Village

The UK School Games are being held in Bath and Bristol on 28th-31st August. The games are the junior equivalent of the olympics for (as should be evident) UK school children.

The University of Bath are hosting the athletics, fencing, table-tennis and volleyball on their Claverton campus; swimming is at theMillford school near Glastonbury and the remaining events at UWE and Filton, both North of Bristol.

Volunteers are needed to help run the games who will be fully trained, get free access o the events and a uniform to keep! Information on visiting and volunteering is at www.ukschoolgames.com.

University of Wessex

Bath University

You may find the University of Wessex surprisingly familiar; it is the fictional establishment featured in Bonekickers, the BBC drama to start on Tuesday evening, filmed on the Bath University campus. I’m not getting paid by the BBC to plug this, but I am looking forward to it, if only to see how many Bath locations I recognise and which bits of the Uni they chose not to film! It’s on next Tuesday, 9pm on BBC1.

 Also in culture news, this week is the last before the Holburne closes for their 2 year renovation and re-build process. Hurry along to see the Bath Spa University show and the Aardman exhibition.

Councillor graduates

Cllr Nicholas Coombes BSc

Yesterday I graduated from Bath University with a degree in architecture.

The Bath University Architecture School is recognised as one of the best in the country (Times = #2 in UK, Independent = #3, Guardian = #4) and architecture commonly held as one of the most difficult degrees (“archi-torture”), so I am very please to have successfuly graduated. Having worked in architecture practices on placement over the last few years, a full time job is much easier than an architecture degree; although despite its time demands student life did allow more flexibility.

I now plan a holiday followed by a job; sadly a councillor’s allowance is not sufficient to keep me fed and answering emails. My colleague, Cllr Armand Edwards, shall be doing twice the work while I’m away, I doubt anyone will even notice my absence for a few weeks!

While some of the questions from the nice lady at the Chron were a tad predictable (what’s it like being a councillor?…) she did raise an interesting point. Will Bathwick residents respect an employed councillor more than a student one? Even if we are to assume an inherent prejudice against youth, I hope that after our first year of office most people will acknowledge the work which Armand and I have done regardless of employment status. Then again, most Bathwick residents are actually students themselves, living on the Claverton campus.

Finally, am I going to give up my council position now that I have graduated? No. I didn’t put that much effort into the election campaign to give it up after just one year!

Culture in Bathwick

Armand and Nicholas at the Holburne museum

Bathwick is in great demand right now for TV locations; I recieved an email yesterday warning that there would be a camera crew about today for Points West but they promise not to get in the way!

Bath is very popular with film crews because it makes such a nice background but mainly because the council’s film office is so helpful. Over my last year in office we have had filming on the University campus (renamed University of Wessex for the occasion) for Bone-Kickers and with Kiera Knightly on Sydney Place. The city centre locations are even more popular, especially for Jane Austin adaptations. The cameras are back to Sydney Place later this month for ” ‘The Four Seasons’ a romantic television drama, based on a Rosamund Pilcher novel”.

This weekend two exhibitions opened at the Holburne Museum, now empty of its historic content (http://www.bath.ac.uk/holburne/). I attended the launches of Painting Aardman (in the downstairs exhibition room) and the Bath Spa University Summer show (on the upper floors – the white marquee was associated with this launch). Both are worth a visit, even if you don’t appreciate animation, ceramics, painting and textiles, the museum has an entirely different feel to it with the blinds up on new displays.

Finally, the Bathwick Local History society has also published its latest book, Bathwick – Echoes of the Past (out of stock in Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Bathwick-Echoes-Local-History-Society/dp/0948975849/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213093501&sr=1-1 but try local shops!). Their launch was in Bath Library the same evening as the Holburne openings, involving a quick cycle along Great Pulteney Street for me. Congratulations to all of those involved, I am working my way throuh my copy now!