Former Bath Press site plans set for approval

Plans for a mixed-use scheme including almost 250 new homes on the former Bath Press site are set to be given approval by councillors.An application to redevelop the site was submitted by Spenhill Developments, a subsidiary of Tesco, in May 2015. The site was sold five months later as part of a £250 million deal involving 14 Spenhill developments in the South of England to Meyer Bergman, a pan-European real estate investment manager.The Bath Press building dates back to the 1880s and was originally used as a printing factory and offices for Pitman and Sons. It has been vacant since 2007.The proposals cover the demolition of the existing buildings, with the exception of the façade, chimney and rear boundary wall, and construction of a new mixed-use scheme.A total of 244 new homes will be built as part of the project alongside 16,000 sq ft of commercial space and basement car park. The housing will be a mix of one to four bedroom properties with provision for 14 per cent affordable housing. It is expected that the employment space will provide 125 jobs.