Big care complex given green light
A huge new care complex has been approved for the old Homebase site on Pines Way in Bath on appeal.
Roger Catchpole, of the Planning Inspectorate, ruled that the “benefits of the scheme” would “outweigh the harms”, approving the 288-unit development on Thursday, September 2.
News broke in 2019 that the former retail spot would become a care community, offering 160 new jobs.
But Bath and North East Somerset Council had refused planning permission to Guild Living on four grounds.
They felt the scheme was too tall and bulky to be in keeping with the Georgian architecture of Bath as a World Heritage Site and would affect the privacy of nearby residents.
The local authority also said there would be too few parking spaces and an unacceptable loss of trees.
However, these concerns were withdrawn at the appeal stage when the developer drew up more parking and pledged to plant replacement trees off-site.
In his appeal decision, Mr Catchpole addressed each of the issues outlined by the council and weighed up the pros and cons of the scheme.
A total of 253 flats for independent living with some care,
30 “care suites”, and five “care residences” providing a high level of care, were proposed.
The scheme will also include a cafe and bar, wellness centre, gym, library and office space for businesses.
The idea of the complex is to allow Bath’s ageing population to live independently for longer, with as much support as they need.
The inspector noted that the city had “an unmet need of 515 units that is rising and this scheme would improve the wellbeing and health outcomes of a significant proportion of the local population who would not qualify for ‘affordable’ extra care”.
Although the council feared the development would affect residents and traders nearby, Mr Catchpole felt that buildings on Lower Bristol Road and Park
View would not be blighted.
He also said that as the primary view of Green Park Station faced away from the proposed site, it would not suffer either.
He added: “Views of key visual landmarks would not be disrupted, there would be no harm to the setting of any monumental buildings or ensembles designed by notable architects.”
Mr Catchpole also said that the area around the site had a “stark, utilitarian character that is dominated by car use” and was “entirely lacking in architectural merit”.
As well as catering for local old people, the developer will be obliged to provide jobs and spend over £40,000 on replacing the trees off-site.
The full appeal decision can be read on the B&NES Council planning website.