Agenda item
Bath Quays North Development
Richard Holden (Operations Manager) will provide details of the
Bath North Quays Development. This will be an information sharing presentation with questions that will follow.
Minutes:
Richard Holden (Operations Manager – Bath Enterprise Zone) provided a presentation that covered details of the Bath North Quays Development.
Further detailed information can also be located at: Bath Quays
Comments and Questions:
Councillor Joe Rayment asked if the plans for office space were both sustainable and will be built to the highest possible standard.
Response
The project will adopt the principles and seek to achieve Breeam Excellent and be well enabled for occupiers. Certification is in its own right a costly process.
Councillor Peter Turner felt that the consultation on the Bath Quays North development had missed a level of effective communication with the Mission Theatre on Corn Street. Additionally Peter asked if there had been any feedback from the Innovation Centre that actively supports entrepreneurs at Carpenter House.
Response
There has been regular dialogue with the Mission Theatre and we have corresponded regularly and we understand the concerns.
Yes, the Innovation Centre has been included in the dialogue and is a key business incubator in the City. That dialogue is positively ongoing.
Paul Roles asked how additional retail units will be filled, when there are forty three empty premises in Bath City Centre at this time. Additionally where are the plans for taxi rank on the development?
Response
There is no easy answer to the changes to shopping habits, the loss in the demand for retail is a national issue and business has adapted well in the past. The new units are designed not to compete with those in the City Centre; a wider conversation is taking place for more creative and meanwhile use of vacant retail space in the City. If no demand were to come forward then the delivery of the retail units would need to be reconsidered.
We will be dealing with the issue of taxi drop off and pick up for the development.
Councillor Dine Romero raised the issue of sustainable solutions that will deal with the vacated spaces in existing locations that move into the new development, we saw this happen in retail when Southgate opened. Additionally, having an additional hotel included in the development seems inappropriate when there are already too many bed spaces in the existing businesses.
Response
We have gone into this development with our eyes open; a phased delivery for the project by the development partner will seek to build on the strength of demand in Bath for ‘Grade A’ office space from the high quality tenants that are expected to be attracted.
Some parties have been looking at a hotel use, but any new facility will likely be aimed predominantly at business use
Penny Coatsworth asked if the new Bath Quays Bridge will be accessible to both cyclists and pedestrians.
Response
Yes it will be wide enough to accommodate both.
Councillor Rob Appleyard asked for clarification on the move of the waste transfer site that was located at Avon Street.
Response
The relocation referred to is moving the Street Cleansing equipment holding facility from Avon Street. This should not be confused with any wider proposals.