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 |