Bath & North East Somerset Council and BMT Group (BMT) are pleased to announce that a new milestone in BMT’s proposed redevelopment of Bath Quays South has been reached. BMT has now committed to preparing a detailed planning consent application, for submission in late spring. It will include the Grade II listed Newark Works building, part of the Bath City Enterprise Area, with the selection of TCN UK (TCN) as the creative workspace partner for that element of the scheme.
The regeneration of the historic Newark Works building, which will be sensitive to its architectural characteristics, entails the creation of a 40,000 sq ft innovation and digital campus, to be known as Bath Quays Studios. Successful provision of creative workspace and the affordable, short-let commercial units that it provides is a fundamental part of supporting start-up businesses in the technology and inventive sectors. This is a key element of redeveloping the Bath Quays South area of the city which is currently unoccupied and derelict.
Richard Pearce, CEO of TCN comments: “Identified by the innovation charity NESTA as one of the top ten creative clusters in the country, Bath has a world class creative and digital scene which has been held back to a certain degree by the lack of suitable space. This is the city’s opportunity to have a focal point for the sector and we are enormously privileged to be helping deliver it. As the business community grows at Bath Quays South, we expect this to attract new enterprises into the city from a wider catchment area, as we have seen happening at Temple Studios in Bristol.”
The overall scheme, which is now undergoing detailed design, will also include a new 45,000 sq ft Grade A office for BMT’s four Bath-based design, technology and management consultancies as anchor tenants, along with some prime residential units. The whole redevelopment will recognise the importance of the site’s industrial legacy and Bath’s unique architectural heritage, in line with the Council's masterplan.
BMT’s Chief Executive, Peter French comments: “Following extensive discussions with the Council, we are very pleased to have agreed the next step forward and are now progressing our plans for the site. TCN has an excellent track record of delivering creative workspace in Bristol and having TCN complement BMT’s long standing innovative presence in Bath brings us closer to delivering a beautifully novel location for hi-tech, inventive companies that are a core part of this area’s future.”
Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones from Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “This is a very exciting period for Bath following last month’s announcement about the winner of the international design competition for the new Bath Quays Bridge. From January, flood mitigation work will begin on the north side of the river allowing us to create the new riverside park and ultimately, to develop the new office spaces. 2016 therefore marks the start of work on our ambitious plans to deliver Innovation Quays, which will create much needed new jobs for local people.”
