Formerly an industrial site, Chivers House forms part of the wider Spring Wharf redevelopment. The development is being undertaken by developers C Group, with design proposals undertaken by Maith Design. Development is currently scheduled for completion by winter 2023.
2018 – Planning Application for Redevelopment of the Site to Provide Purpose-Built Student Accommodation
In 2018, application 18/00770/FUL proposed a scheme for two 7 and 9 storey buildings of student accommodation on a small site near Windsor Bridge, adjacent to Roseberry Place.
BPT strongly objected to proposals on grounds that the two buildings would constitute significant overdevelopment of the site in their oversized height and plan form. In particular, we were able to refute the applicant’s claims that the area could now “tolerate” taller buildings because of the precedent set with the two landmark buildings at Western Riverside; in fact the two landmark buildings are just that, out-of-the-ordinary buildings that were designed to echo the iconic gas holders that stood on the old industrial Bath Gasworks site, and not to establish a new height norm.
Read our response to the 2018 application here.
In May 2018, application 18/00770/FUL was subsequently withdrawn.
New application 18/03797/FUL was submitted in September 2018 for a revised scheme of two 7 and 6 storey blocks with 95 1 & 2 bed residential flats with no affordable housing. On review of the application, BPT decided to maintain our objection as the blocks would remain higher than average within the local townscape. We had continued concerns about the proposed use of buff brick across the development. In our view, the absence of affordable housing provision due to ‘viability’ was unacceptable.
Read our response to the 2018 application here.
BPT was disappointed that this application was permitted by the Development Management Committee despite the planning officer’s recommendation of refusal. Read our summarising press release here.