Warminster Road parking danger

Nicholas Coombes and Gail Coleshill inspect

Bathwick Cllr Nicholas Coombes and North East Somerset parliamentary candidate Gail Coleshill have been working together to extend the parking restrictions on the Warminster Road.

Since residents’ parking was introduced in Minster Way, communter parking has moved onto the main road. Most parking is on the North-West (MoD) side, but there are gaps in the double yellow lines on the South-East side. Parking here, between Trossach’s Drive and Minster Way, reduces carriageway width preventing lorries from passing.

Council traffic staff have now visited the site and are drawing up plans to fill in the restrictions gap on the South-East. In a compensatory measure, some spaces may be created on the North-West side. Local councillor Nicholas Coombes has urged them to press ahead with this work, following the concerns expressed by local residents. Gail Coleshill has been speaking to Bathampton residents about the problem which affects their journey into Bath.

PS – the photo is from the Summer when we first raised this. There were no parked cars then as it was mid-holiday time for most commuters!

Tesco and parking

Illegal parking outside Tesco

I expect that you will have noticed Tesco’s eventual arrival, opening one week ago.

I have not yet been in; since working for a small Tesco four years ago I try not to shop with them! However, I have noticed that every time I pass the shop that there are cars parked in the loading bay outisde, in the narrow part by the bridge and even on the double yellow lines on the other side of the road. As a resident I spoke to yesterday pointed out, the legal parking bays are not even full most of the time, but shoppers are choosing to park illegally to get 10m closer to the store!

I have taken a few photos of the problem which I have sent to BathNES parking services to alert them of this new hot spot. However, it will have to compete with many other locations for parking warden attention.

More worryingly though, I was phoned this morning by a woman who saw Tesco lorries double parked outisde the store; one in their bay and the second on the road, blocking the cariageway. This is really not acceptable and I urge anyone who sees this sort of behaviour to record the incident as best you can. A photograph is perfect yet impractical, so numberplates and times would be very helpful. Please pass this information to me and I will present a complaint to Tesco, the council or police as appropriate.

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.

Lime Grove on hold

Lime Grove School site

Development plans for the Lime Grove School site have been put on hold by its potential purchaser, Unite.

The student accomodation company had been planning to develop 200 student rooms on the site with a public consultation due this month. However, their discussions with BathNES planning department have caused the company to pause and reconsider.

Local reaction on Lime Grove and Sydney Buildings has been at best cautious since the plans were first mentioned.

Tesco gets final permission

Bathwick Hill Tesco

Permission for the loading bay needed by Tesco has been granted by Cllr Gerrish (Con, Keynsham), the cabinet member responsible. Providing a loading bay was the final condition to be discharged of the planning permission granted in July last year by the government inspector.

With this permission granted, the loading bay should be painted onto the road in the next few weeks, with Tesco able to open as soon as it is completed. However, the bay has been reduced in size following objections by locals. It is thought that a12m bay will be safer than the proposed 14m bay for vehicles passing and pulling out of the car park behind. The report is available to view here: http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/Committee_papers/Executive/WL/2008/080829/01E1832BathwickHillTescoLoadingBayObjections.htm

Your Bathwick councillors have been opposed to Tesco’s presence on Bathwick Hill given the danger posed by parking and pedestrians crossing. We are continuing to lobby BathNES council for a proper zebra crossing above the canal bridge to make this part safer at least.

Students on school site

Lime Grove School site

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.

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.

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.

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.