Watkin Jones announces it has received resolution to grant planning permission for an over 600-home mixed-use scheme which will include purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and Build to Rent homes in Bath.
The c£130m GDV scheme will create a total of 651 new homes across three buildings. One of the buildings will be PBSA, delivering 335 student homes. Completion is expected in phases from 2024 to 2025.
The new scheme will replace a former car showroom on a site on Lower Bristol Road. The development will be future proofed by meeting high environmental sustainability standards – with the PBSA building targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’.
The Lower Bristol Road scheme is a 15-minute walk from the historic centre of the city and boasts excellent sustainable transport options – including the nearby National Route Four cycling route, local buses and Bath rail station.
Residents will have access to landscaped communal courtyard gardens on the first floor and further biodiversity will be added throughout the scheme, including new trees planted on the frontage to add to the attractiveness of the wider area. There will also be 860 secure cycle parking spaces, a car club and electric charging points for the parking spaces available.
“This scheme will offer a fantastic living experience for residents in a highly sustainable location near the centre of Bath. I’m thrilled that the committee saw the value that we will bring to the community, with hundreds of environmentally focused new homes that will appeal to a diverse range of people created on a brownfield site.
“The latest RICS data shows that demand for rental housing is rising as sharply as supply is falling with the South West seeing a fast-growing gap, so creating new homes to rent has never been more important. We continue to receive huge interest from institutions, which are seeking to invest in high-quality schemes that will maintain their value as places to live for residents and add desirability to the wider community for decades.”
Alex Pease, Chief Investment Officer, Watkin Jones
Watkin Jones has an excellent track record of delivery in Bath, delivering three schemes in the last five years that have added over 250 new homes for residents or students.
