Decision details

Update on the delivery of the Milsom Quarter Masterplan.

(1)  Confirm the Council objectives with regards to the King Edward’s School building as being the following:

(a)  Assist in expediting the delivery of a suitable scheme for the King Edward’s School building to bring it back into use;

(b)  Safeguard its listed building status;

(c)   Ensure the building makes a positive contribution to the broader regeneration of Milsom Quarter and Bath city centre in general;

(d)  Avoid excessive cost and risk for the Council.

(e)  Officers are requested to produce a public report on the internal and external condition of the building for consideration at the next scheduled meeting of the Cabinet.

(2)  To delegate approval to the Director of Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the s151 Officer, to agree to “meanwhile use” lettings (as described in paragraph 3.7 of the report) of vacant units within the Old Post Office block at less than open market value for regeneration purposes, on the basis that the benefit of the regeneration-led meanwhile use proposals outweighs the need to achieve best consideration on a case by case lettings basis.

The current poor state of the King Edwards School building has a negative impact on the aims and objectives set out for the area in the Milsom Quarter Masterplan.  Cabinet decision E3380 included an instruction to officers to explore options to enable for former school building to be brought back into use.

As part of the Milsom Quarter delivery programme a grant funded workstream has been set up to support meanwhile uses in the Post Officer building to bring activity back to New Bond Street and to generate an income to support the Fashion Museum redevelopment.  Meanwhile uses may require units to be let at rents that are below open market rental value because the rent reflects the fact that the tenancy is short to ensure future development opportunities can be exploited.

The range of options considered for the King Edward’s School site are set out in Appendix 1 of the report and summarised in section 3.2 of the report.

Alternatively, there is a do-nothing option.  This option would have the following impact:

·  Should the owner not bring the building back into use, this will remain as a vacant building, having a negative impact in the area and on the objectives set out in the Milsom Quarter masterplan.  There is also a risk that the listed building may fall further into disrepair.

·  If the owner took appropriate action to bring the building back into use in line with their planning consent, the outcome of the do nothing and proposed approach would be the same.