Decision details

Bath Western Riverside Phase II- Outline Planning Application

Decision Maker: Director of Regeneration & Housing

Decision status: Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

Purpose:
The Council has intervened at Bath Western Riverside via the acquisition of former gasholder operational land and has subsequently delivered infrastructure works to unlock the brownfield site. By drawing down Homes England Housing Infrastructure funding, the council has the opportunity to control
the quality, pace and delivery of housing. Considerable progress has been made with the gas rationalisation works nearing completion and an Outline Planning Application prepared for submission. A masterplan has been developed which meets the Council’s objectives for a high quality, sustainable housing development. The proposal will aim for an onsite policy compliant scheme of affordable housing and will deliver a net zero development. The scheme connects to the wider Bath City Masterplan creating a cohesive masterplan with a focus on green space and biodiversity, maximising connectivity through the provision of active travel infrastructure. The plans propose up to circa. 351 homes seeking to achieve a policy compliant scheme of affordable housing in terms of an overall number and tenure (see Appendix A. Affordable Housing Statement). Decision E3168 delegated authority to the Director for Economy and Growth (now Regeneration and Housing) in consultation with the S151 Finance Officer to:
i. Enter funding agreement with Homes England and WECA to fund infrastructure and land investment in the future phases of Bath Riverside on the former gaslands and Council waste site.

Decision:

In accordance with the delegations set out within Decision E3168, as part of this activity to progress enabling and investment activities, the Director of Regeneration and Housing (Economy and Growth) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and S151 Officer progress to submit the outline
planning application for Bath Western Riverside Phase II, with Bath and North East Somerset Council as the applicant.

Alternative options considered:

1. Progress enabling activity.
The Council could elect to complete the enabling activity and then pause whilst it considers delivery and disposal routes for the land, however this would not support the Local Plan Partial
Update (LPPU) policies to meet 5-year land supply and local housing need.
2. Do Nothing
The Council could elect not to submit the Outline Planning Application. However, submission of an application provides the visibility of a comprehensive masterplan for the whole of Bath
Riverside to be considered alongside the application submitted by the adjoining landowner under application 22/03224/EFUL.

Publication date: 16/03/2023

Date of decision: 16/03/2023