Watkin Jones announces it has received resolution to grant planning permission for an over 600-home mixed-use Build to Rent and PBSA scheme in Bath. The company first revealed its plans in April 2020, with an online public consultation for members of the public which took place online due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The c£130m GDV scheme will create 316 new homes across two Build to Rent buildings – and will include a mix of one, two and three bedroom homes. 95 of these homes will be classed as affordable and offer significantly reduced rents. The scheme will also include PBSA homes in a third building. Completion is expected in phases from 2024 to 2025.
The site is on Lower Bristol Road on a former car showroom site and 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.
Watkin Jones has confirmed that the Lower Bristol Road scheme will be future proofed by meeting high environmental sustainability standards. The two Build to Rent buildings are targeting the equivalent Home Quality Mark Level Four.
Residents will be able to enjoy 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 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.
