Consultations and Planning

Transition Bath responds to planning applications, B&NES and government consultations in order to make Bath more sustainable.

Our comments and feedback narrowly relate to sustainability and Transition Bath’s objectives in making Bath more sustainable. In generally we will support developments which:

  • create homes which exceed current minimum building regulations; for example higher standards like Code for Sustainable Homes, or include solar PV, district heating or CHP
  • developments which include provision for allotments and/or green roofs
  • developments which favour walking, cycling and public transport over cars

To date we have been involved in the following:

Date Name Type Description Transition Bath Response
June 2011 BPT/CSE “Warmer Bath Guide” Advice document 80 page award winning document providing advice on retrofitting historic homes Provided feedback on drafts of document before it was published. “Warmer Bath: A guide to improving the energy efficiency of traditional homes in Bath”
May 2012 B&NES MOD Site redevelopment ‘Concept Statement’ consultation B&NES Planning Strategy B&NES Outline plans for the redevelopment of ex-MOD sites at Ensleigh, Warminster Road and Foxhill – 1300 homes in total Pushed for more sustainable homes, transport and local food production standards. Response and cabinet presentation.
May 2012 B&NES Sustainable Construction SPD B&NES Planning Strategy Outlines how new homes to be developed sustainably and to provide advice on retrofit of existing homes Pushed for planning on listed buildings associated with retrofit for sustainability to be made simpler, clearer advice
May 2013 Skanska Ensleigh South Planning Application Planning application to build 40 homes on Lansdown, north of city centre, on ex-MOD site to CfSH 4 Comment on application
June 2013 B&NES Core Strategy B&NES Planning Strategy Contributed to viability analysis on reduced costs of Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH) 5 homes Various articles on our website on this subject
Aug 2013 B&NES Placemaking Plan B&NES Planning Strategy Setting standards for new housing development TB provided reduced cost analysis/Viability Study for CfSH 5 which were adopted as the new standard for Bath.
Sep 2013 Code for Sustainable Homes Cost Analysis Local Authority Strategy Document Analysis of reduced costs of CfSH homes to justify their Viability Contributed cost information which lead to AECOM/Element Energy independently reassessing costs – for 5 Local Authorities. Final analysis.
Oct 2013 Housing Standards Review UK Department of Communities and Local Government Consultation Consultation on future housing standards Objection to watering down of building standards. Included response to costings consultation.
Oct 2013 Consultation into Allowable Solutions UK Department of Communities and Local Government Consultation New approach to carbon offsetting for building industry in preparation for Zero Carbon Homes standard 2016 General objections to allowing builders to build poorly insulated homes and offset their obligation to meet higher standards with unrealistically cheap carbon offset prices
Nov 2013 Code for Sustainable Homes/new Housing Standards Consultation Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee Committee investigation into government’s plans to close CfSH standards TB contributed cost information and general objections to the government’s attempts to reduce housing standards in the UK
Feb 2014 Barratts Keynsham East Planning Application Planning application for 250 homes in Keynsham Objection to scheme
Apr 2014 B&NES Housing Standards B&NES Planning Strategy Transition Bath online survey of about 170 residents asking them what they wanted for new homes being built in Bath in future  Residents were largely in favour of forcing developers to implement sustainability standards – our write up of the results is here.
May 2014 Weston All Saints Primary Planning Application Application to build 6 classroom extension to school Objection to transport strategy and sustainability of classroom design
July 2014 Warminster Road Planning Application Planning application to build 289 homes on ex-MOD site at Warminster Road to SE of centre of Bath Comment on application
Sep 2014 Linden Bloor Ensleigh South Planning Application Application to build 180 homes + 72 bed extra care facility on ex-MOD site at Ensleigh South on Lansdown to north of Bath Objection to application
Oct 2014 Curo Foxhill / Mulberry Park Planning Application Outline planning application to build 700 homes on ex-MOD Foxhill site to south of Bath Objection to application
Dec 2014 B&NES Community Energy Strategy B&NES Planning Strategy Plans for B&NES Community Energy Strategy Provided feedback (online survey, nor record available)
Jan 2015 B&NES Placemaking Strategy B&NES Planning Strategy Setting standards for new housing development Detailed 23 page response to consultation
Mar 2015 Removal of requirement for Display Energy Certificates in schools and other public buildings UK Department of Communities and Local Government Consultation Removing the requirement for schools and other public buildings from publishing annual energy consumption data and 5 yearly energy assessments Objection to a scheme which on a net basis saves money and would allow the government to avoid scrutiny of how well they manage their buildings; our response is here
June 2015 Roseberry Place Planning Application Planning application for 200 flats off Lower Bristol Road Comment on application
June 2015 Old Bath Press Site Planning Application Planning application for 244 flats/homes off Lower Bristol Road Objection to application
Aug 2015 Pre-accreditation of Solar FIT Consultation UK Department of Energy and Climate Change Consultation Government plan to removed pre-accreditation from FITs Objection/feedback on basis of likely impact to Community Energy Schemes
Oct 2015 Feed-in-tariff Consultation UK Department of Energy and Climate Change Consultation Government plan to reduce FITs by up to 87% Objection on basis of impact on renewables sector and incorrect investment return assumptions
Oct 2015 Old Bath Press Site Planning Application Planning application for 244 flats/homes off Lower Bristol Road Re-iteration of objection to application
Oct 2015 100 homes off Charlton Road, Keynsham Planning Application Planning application for 100 homes Comment on application
Nov 2015 Ensleigh Primary School Planning Application new build school Comment asks for lessons to be learnt from 2013 Verco Schools Energy Survey
Jan 2016 Site of Old Gas Works Planning Application 394 bed student accommodation Mix of comments and objections to this planning application
Jan 2016 Keynsham Cross Street Primary School Planning Application new build school Comment on application
Dec 2016 Foxhill Redevelopment Planning Application demolition and rebuild of 1950s housing estate Objection to application
Dec 2016 Cleveland Pools Planning Application comment in support of water source heat pump Support
Dec 2016 Joint West of England Transport Strategy Regional Consultation Joint West of England Transport Strategy Details not known
Dec 2016 Urban Congestion Parliamentary Consultation proposal for walking and cycling representative on Dept of Transport Board Comment
Feb 2017 94 dwellings at Ensleigh, The Chill Planning application 94 new dwellings Objection to minimum energy standard homes, support for 40% affordable
Feb 2017 Rotork Redevelopment Brassmill Lane Planning application Rebuilding of existing factory and offices Support for energy and transport aspects of development
Feb 2017 Council Eastern P&R Call-In Meeting Council meeting Call-in for Bathampton Meadows P&R, 2 x 3 minute verbal presentations Comments on lack of evidence for purported traffic reduction benefits
Feb 2017 Bath South Quays mixed office/residential Planning application B&NES’s plans to redevelop South Quays 16-04818-EREG03 Comments on energy and transport strategies for development
Mar 2017 Communities, Transport, Environmental Policy and Scrutiny Panel Council meeting Air quality, Transport Plans, South Quay Bridge, Churchill Underpass Request for clean air zone etc.
May 2017 Foxhill Redevelopment (revised) Planning Application demolition and rebuild of 1950s housing estate Objection to application
Sep 2017 Greenland Road Peasedown Planning Application 10 dwellings Objection – doesnt meet Placemaking Plan 10 percent renewables
Sep 2017 Lower Bristol Road Planning Application 204 bed student accommodation Objection – doesnt meet Placemaking Plan 10 percent renewables, poor cycling provision
Sep 2017 Bath Old Rd Radstock Planning Application 26 dwellings Objection – doesnt meet Placemaking Plan 10 percent renewables
Sep 2017 The Shambles Westfield Planning Application 10 dwellings Objection – doesnt meet Placemaking Plan 10 percent renewables
Sep 2017 Belvoir Castle Planning Application 10 flats Objection – doesnt meet Placemaking Plan 10 percent renewables, secure? cycle parking
Sep 2017 Bath Cricket Club Planning Application 124 bed student accommodation Objection – Combined Heat and Power is not a renewable technology
Sep 2017 Milland House Keynsham Planning Application 20 flats Objection – doesnt meet Placemaking Plan 10percent renewables requirement
Oct 2017 Bath Cricket Club Revised Planning Application 124 bed student accommodation Comment, support revised ASHP with caveats
Oct 2017 Greenland Road Peasedown Revised Planning Application 10 dwellings Support application now including solar PV