Old bakery to go in bid for new homes
A well-known former bakery could be knocked down amid plans for new flats in Bath.
Bath Bakery on Cheltenham Street in Oldfield Park has lain vacant for some time and fallen into disrepair.
Vistry Partnerships, a national housing developer with offices in Bristol, wants to demolish it to make room for workers on a nearby building site.
A total of 43 affordable new homes, and commercial floor space, are to be built on the old Platinum Accident Repair Centre, and Vistry wants to set up toilets and a canteen for workers, on the site of the old bakery.
The construction phase plan included in their application to the council said: “The project will consist of the demolition of 18-19 Cheltenham street bakery to existing slab level for the use of site compound establishment to incorporate site welfare facilities, site storage and waste management and a small number of parking spaces.”
The Oldfield Park area - once industrial - has been redeveloped in recent years, with new flats built opposite the old bakery.
Now, if the proposal is approved, it will be knocked down by a JCB, with works happening from Monday to Saturday, starting on February 7 and lasting four weeks.
Vistry’s cover letter explained that the demolition works will include: disconnection of all services and meters; asbestos roofing and any other asbestos-based material discovered as part of the R&D Survey to be removed by a specialist contractor; floors and foundations to be grubbed out using JCB; walls to be pulled into the building using grabber arm on JCB and separated into general rubble, any remaining timber, and crushable aggregates and removed by lorry; the remaining area is to be stoned up and compacted.
The developer confirmed that no trees, bats or other wildlife would be harmed by the demolition.
In November, plans for more than 40 new homes were approved for a site just down the street from the bakery.
All the dwellings will be “affordable”, with some up for sale and others rentable.
Vistry will complete the scheme in partnership with Abri a developer based in Yeovil - and Homes England.
Nick Plumley, the council’s housing enabling and development manager, said: “The 100 per cent scheme will bring major benefit to the district, especially to Bath where delivery of affordable housing has been more challenging of late.”
You can find more information about the plans for new homes on Cheltenham Street at www.bathnes.gov.uk/webforms/planning/details.html?refval=20%2F04315%2fful#details_Section.