Application for additional house on Sydney Lawn site

Property Developers Ashford Homes have applied to build an additional house on their Sydney Lawn site.

The site by the railway at Sydney Road used to house a single dwelling, now demolished. Planning permission was granted last year for construction of a block of eight flats. Now another application has been submitted for the construction of a single two bedroom house at the bottom of the garden, at the Sydney Mews end. The trees currently lining the path to the bridge over the railway will be felled. No integral parking is proposed for the house.

As ever, responses from residents are welcomed. You can fill in this online form, or write to the planning department quoting the application reference number 13/00275/FUL.

4 Lime Grove conversion refused by inspector

A planning appeal to convert 4 Lime Grove into three dwellings has been dismissed by a government planning inspector.

In May 2012 an application was made to BathNES Council to convert the student HMO at 4 Lime Grove into two maisonettes and a third flat. The application, 12/01925/FUL is still online here. The Council refused the application because the necessary rear extension would harm the quality of life of the neighbours.

Local Lib Dem councillor David Martin shared this concern and asked that the matter be brought to a planning committee is permission was recomended. Fortunately this was not necessary.

The planning inspector agreed with the council and dismissed the appeal against refusal. His report is online here.

 

Parking restrictions for Lime Grove Gardens

Rennie Close construction begins

Cllr David Martin has secured concessions for Lime Grove residents affected by the construation of Rennie Close.

Building works on the old special school site started during the summer after planning permission was granted in May. Due to the restricted access to the site, it is necessary to restrict residents’ parking along one side of Lime Grove Gardens so that delivery vehicles and construction equipment can be brought safely onto the site. These restrictions have posed problems for residents as there is very little spare capacity for on-street parking in the area.

David Martin has intervened with the developers, Bloor Homes, to get a concession for reimbursing residents if they need to use nearby off-street parking for the duration of the restricted parking. The Council has also agreed to make the parking restrictions less severe and the restrictions will apply only between 9 am and 4 pm, on Mondays to Fridays.

Shared housing licensing

Houses in Multiple=

The Liberal Democrats running BathNES Council have launched a public consultation regarding additional licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Bath.

The Council is considering extending its current licensing scheme to require all shared HMOs to be licensed around the Wards of Oldfield, Westmoreland and Widcombe as well as small parts of adjoining wards including Bathwick, Twerton, Lyncombe and Southdown. The roads affected in Bathwick would be Lime Grove, Lime Grove Gardens, Pulteney Road and Horseshoe Walk.

Additional licensing would allow the Council to ensure that HMOs meet minimum standards to protect the occupants in terms of health, safety and welfare. It would also help improve management of these properties which is beneficial not only for the occupants of HMOs but also for the wider community and, provide consistent standards for landlords. This is in addition to, and separate from, the related issue of restricting planning permission for shared housing.

The consultation seeks your views on whether additional licensing should proceed and if so, what should be included and how it could work. The consultation will run until the 30th November 2012 and your views and comments are welcomed.

Click here to view and respond to the consultation.

New primary school for Warminster Road site

Bathwick St Mary's Primary School

The MoD site on Warminster Road will now include an improved primary school alongside 100 new homes.

Hundreds of local people took part in a consultation on the future of the sites. It was clear that residents want more primary school places in Bathwick and better facilities at St Mary’s.

The Liberal Democrats running BathNES Council changed the development plans to insist that St Mary’s Primary is extended, or a new school built to cope with the demand for places. It will up to the governors of St Mary’s, the developers and the Council to agree the best solution.

The scheme will also include 100 homes, of which a third will be affordable, public open spaces, a new bridge over the canal and, at residents’ requests, a local shop.

“The new school is excellent news and proves that the council listens to residents’ views,” said local Lib Dem Cllr Nicholas Coombes, “we are also very pleased that the design and environmental standards have been improved at our request.”

Major projects planned at University

University parade

Bath University plan £100million worth of building projects on their Claverton Down campus over the next few years. Three have been entered for planning permission; click on the link to view the application and comment:

  • Student accommodation block – 12/03055/FUL – 700 bedrooms and a refectory are planned in a five storey buiding over the East car park, adjacent to Marlborough Court
  • Arts Centre – 12/03069/FUL – new performance and support spaces are planned surroundign the Arts Lecture theatre
  • Lecture building – 12/02626/FUL – new lecture theatres and seminar rooms planned on the site of the old 25m swimming pool

Members of the University neighbours’ forum had an early look at the plans in June. The group, for those who live near the university, meets again on Tuesday 4th September. If you are interested in attending please email G.Gillespie@bath.ac.uk.

As ever, September is expected to be a very busy month at the University, with an open day on the 15th, Freshers’ Week starting on the 21st and term starting on the 1st October, all of which will bring significant traffic to campus.

New road to be named Rennie Close

Rennie Close

The new road at the eng of Lime Grove Gardens is to be called Rennie Close.

Bathwick’s Lib Dem councillors ran a competition to suggest a name for the new cul-de-sac. Ideas included Linden or Tilia to recognise Lime Grove, Brunel for the railway and Martin for the birds which fly over the area.

The winning entry, from a number of sources, recognises John Rennie, the builder of the Kennet and Avon canal below which the close rests.

Thank you to all those who entered the competition and for providing the name.

Warminster Road MoD Concept Statement approved

MOD site exhibiton

The planning policy Concept Statements for Bath’s MoD sites have been approved by the council.

BathNES Council has created documents for the sites on Warminster Road, Ensleigh and Foxhill so that potential housing developers know what is expected from the sites when they are sold by the MoD. Your Liberal Democrat councillors have been fully involved in the consultations, including an exhibition of draft proposals at Bathwick Primary in May.

Comments from the public were considered and the Concept Statements were modified accordingly – details are here. The main issue highlighted in Bathwick was the provision of extra primary school places and a new playground at the Bathwick St Mary’s site. A final decision on this has been deferred until September, to allow the Council to review all of the primary school places in Bath.

Inclusion of a small shop was added to the Concept Statement for Warminster Road, and the language around protection of the natural environment and use of Bath stone for building material was toughened. There was also a call for increased energy efficiency standards for the new homes, which was included in the approved paper here.

Close competition – name new road

Cllr Nicholas Coombes at the Lime Grove School site

A name is needed for the new close of houses to be built on the Lime Grove School site.

The thirteen houses were approved by the planning committee last month. Lime Grove Gardens will be extended with a new cul-de-sac with houses on the railway side and at the end.

Your local councillors are asking for your suggestions for naming the new road, the best of which will be put to the developers.

You can email your suggestions to bathwick_libdems@yahoo.com or write them in the comments section below. Please include a reason for your proposed name.

MoD site consultation

MoD site exhibiton

BathNES Council has held an exhibition on the future of the Warminster Road MoD site.

The Lib Dem run council wants to know residents’ views before the MoD sell the site to housing developers.

“It’s good that the council is being proactive about the future of the site,” said Cllr Nicholas Coombes, “I urge residents to get involved in the plans.”

The consultation is online at www.bathnes.gov.uk/mod-conceptstatements until 30th May – there’s not much time left to take part.