Bath Quays South constitutes a ‘flagship’ regeneration project by B&NES Council to ‘create a new and vibrant commercial quarter’ with the provision of new, up-to-date office facilities, improved connections across the river, and a new riverside public realm. Construction works on the Bath Quays South site commenced in 2018, with ground works completed in late 2019. Works were completed in 2021. Refurbishment of the Newark Works were completed and the building reopened Summer 2022.
2020 – Proposals for Refurbishment & Change of Use of Grade II Newark Works
Application 20/03245/CONDLB was submitted separately for the conversion of the Grade II Stothert & Pitt Crane Works (now known as the Newark Works) to provide office space as part of the wider Bath Quays South scheme, fronting Lower Bristol Road. We were generally supportive of works with some concerns as to the external cladding of the Smithy. This was granted planning consent in January 2020.
Read our response to the January 2020 planning application here.
2016/2017 – Pre-Application Consultation & Planning Application for Mixed-Use Residential & Office Riverside Development
BPT was pleased to have been actively engaged in development proposals for this large development on the former Stothert & Pitt site, south of the river near Green Park.
Read our 2016 pre-application response here.
However, planning application 16/04818/EREG03 for two apartment blocks and a large employment building was cause for concern. Whilst we fully supported the ambitions to develop this site with contemporary residential and business buildings (and the benefits such a scheme would bring to the city), and to refurbish the listed Newark Works building, the proposed landmark business building would be too high, bulky and monolithic for its location in the centre of the World Heritage Site. As proposed currently it would interrupt important views into and out of the city centre and fails to reflect local built heritage or context.
Read our response to the 2016 planning application here.
Following revisions to the roofscape and materials within the scheme submitted in late 2016, BPT carefully reviewed the revised scheme but concluded that the changes would not address our main concerns regarding bulk and massing, and the lack of contextual relationship between the landmark building and the World Heritage Site in terms of long views, riverscape and local built heritage.
Read our response to the revised 2016 planning application here.
In February 2017, a third version of the scheme was submitted. We reviewed this iteration and welcomed the significant changes made to the scheme, which we felt has reduced the potential harm to the World Heritage Site and cityscape. We withdrew our objections to the full planning application for the office building with revised comments as to the proposed design and approach, but we maintained an objection to the outline application for the residential aspect of the scheme.
Read our response to the revised 2017 planning application here.
Application 16/04818/EREG03 was permitted at Planning Committee by May 2017.