Beacon Wood House, Rivers Road, Walcot, Bath

Beacon Wood House is a Grade II detached dwelling, originally late 18th century but re-fronted and enlarged by the mid-19th century, situated within the Bath City-Wide Conservation Area and World Heritage Site. It is situated within its own extensive grounds to the north of Camden Road and contributes to the wooded slope views that forms the indicative landscape setting of the immediate Camden and Larkhall residential area, and the wider hillside setting of the World Heritage Site. The site has the subject of a group Tree Protection Order since 1975, and has been a heavily wooded feature in the townscape from at least the mid- to late 19th century. The site forms a significant wooded ‘rim’ along the upper northern slope and is a green backdrop to Bath’s terraced streets running up off London Road.

The proposed works would include the felling of approximately 9 trees, and associated reduction in tree height with works to 14 trees across the site. We acknowledge and commend the need for ongoing tree maintenance to address the structural stability of these trees, particularly where they are located on a steeply sloped site, as well as the necessity of removing dead/infected trees to ensure the wider health of the woodland. Nonetheless, we maintain the need to consider the cumulative impact of proposed works on how the tree belt is perceived in wider landscape and streetscape views. We emphasise the need for new and replacement planting of suitable species to replace felled trees, where appropriate, to retain a visually unbroken canopy as perceived in short and mid-range views to the south.