Building work starts on dual purpose site
Work has started on a £5.4 million student housing and workplace scheme in Bath.
The Jews Lane development on the Old Bakery site in Twerton has undergone significant enabling works and now construction has begun.
The project comprises two new buildings, one of which will house student accommodation and the other offering 5,000 sq ft of flexible open plan employment space.
The student building will provide 63 flats for students, with a two-bedroom studio, and a dedicated reception area. Developers says it will cater for the growing student population in Bath, particularly the significant number of international students attending both universities in the city.
Planning permission was granted for the development in September 2019 and it is set to be completed in summer 2022.
The open plan employment space will be totally flexible, with the ability to be sub-divided to cater for a number of potential uses.
Ross Chester, development manager for Deeley Freed Estates, said: “We are pleased to be able to progress this development after a challenging few months and look forward to delivering the high-quality student accommodation and a fully flexible workspace. The enabling contract has been completed successfully, including working closely with Network Rail to ensure works around their embankment have been delivered safely.
“We are now looking forward to working with Deeley Construction to ensure the development is ready for the student intake in autumn 2022.”
Martin Gallagher, managing director of Deeley Construction, added: “As a trusted and respected Midlands developer, we are pleased to be expanding our footprint in Bath and our on-site team will ensure there is as little disruption as possible to the surrounding community for the duration of the project.
“A key objective for the project is to provide new jobs for local people and work experience for students, so are working closely with the local authority and Bath College to deliver these targets.
“It is a challenging site and we have been working closely with the client to reach a position where new-build construction can start on site. It’s fantastic to see work now under way.”