Bath BTR and student bed scheme set to be blocked

Proposals to transform a car dealership site on one of Bath’s main thoroughfares into a mixed-use scheme comprising hundreds of build-to-rent apartments and student accommodation beds is set to be blocked.The Dick Lovett site on the corner of Lower Bristol Road and Windsor Bridge Road spans 3.7 acres and is used as a commercial car dealership comprising BMW and Mini showrooms, garages, workshops and outbuildings.Its redevelopment has been proposed by Watkin Jones Group.Under the plans, existing buildings would be knocked down to make way for a mixed-use development of residential apartments, purpose-built student accommodation, flexible commercial floorspace and associated parking.The scheme would provide 316 build-to-rent apartments and 335 student beds.New vehicular access would be provided from Lower Bristol Road and landscaping work would also be carried out.The application is set to go before a Bath and North East Somerset Council committee meeting next week (25 August 2021) with a recommendation for refusal.It was initially scheduled to go before the committee in July, but revised proposals were lodged ahead of the meeting.