Bath Road - FAQs

The previous application sought the redevelopment of the site for 143 apartments and 3 three-bedroom terraced houses. The proposal sought to provide a 100% affordable housing scheme, with 22% secured by Section 106 agreement as social rent accommodation, and 78% provided as unsecured affordable housing delivered by grant funding.

The application was refused on 17 March 2021 for the three refusal reasons set out below:

1. The energy/heating solution for the development which sought to provide electric radiators and air source heat pumps;
2. Height, scale, massing, public realm and overall design quality in design terms and the impact on future occupiers;
3. Failure to provide an appropriate contribution towards the provision of Section 106-secured affordable housing.

Public engagement is important to SNG. We are holding public consultation with stakeholders and the local community as part of the design process. This gives local residents and businesses the opportunity to have their thoughts heard and discussed and, where appropriate, incorporated into our final design. 

SNG is also consulting with Bristol City Council and will consider all feedback from the community and Bristol City Council when finalising the plans.

We have considered Secured by Design (SBD) principles as part of the scheme’s design. SBD is an official police security initiative that works to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings to provide safe places to live, work, shop and visit.

The only vehicular access into the proposal will be from Tramway Road, using the existing access.

The layout has been designed to improve permeability through the scheme through the provision of a new linear green corridor social spine through the site. There will be pedestrian and cycle access from Belmont Road and Tramway Road as well as pedestrian access from Bath Road through the site.

Planning policy seeks developments to reduce reliance on the private car, so the proposals have been designed to reduce the need for new residents to own a car. The site is within walking distance of many services and facilities and for longer trips, there is good access to bus facilities with Bristol Temple Meads also being in close proximity. 

The development will also provide cycle parking in line with policy requirements.

We will be providing around 30 parking spaces. All houses will have their own dedicated parking space on their plot. For the apartments there will be 20 parking spaces on site.

The site is in a sustainable location, with strong public transport links and a number of amenities and facilities within walking distance. The scheme’s location means that residents will not be reliant on a car.

The development will provide electric vehicle (EV) charging to all parking spaces provided to individual houses. EV charging will be provided to apartment spaces however further analysis of final design will be required. The new Building Regulations Part S aims to future proof homes and buildings via the installation of charging points for electric vehicles. 

Our development will comply with these requirements to help us achieve our Sustainability targets.

SNG is looking to achieve Bristol City Council planning policy cycle storage requirements for residential developments. For each multi-residence building, a dedicated secure cycle storeroom will be located at ground floor, next to the building entrance for convenience. Family homes will have their own dedicated cycle store. 

122 cycle spaces will be provided within the apartment buildings, in addition to external spaces for visitors and the cycle stores for the houses.

Provision for deliveries will be provided as part of the proposals. 

Access will be via Tramway Road for collections apart from Building A which will be via Bath Road. Each apartment building will have their own secure refuse store. The houses will have storage for waste and recycling containers at the front of their homes to ensure refuse storage is convenient and tidy.

Yes the open spaces will be publicly accessible to improve permeability across the site and links to the wider area. 

Maintenance of these areas will be carried out by SNG’s estate management team. A high-level landscape maintenance and management plan will be prepared to support the planning application and future maintenance.

Protecting existing natural assets and wildlife and enhancing the site’s ecology is an important aspect of this scheme. All components of the landscape including lighting strategy and activity levels will be designed with great care to ensure local wildlife is protected as much as possible. 

Habitat features will be integrated within the landscape and will be informed by a site-wide ecology strategy which can include bird and bat boxes, insect hotels and green corridors for the wildlife.

Our landscaping plans include new tree planting alongside a resilient and wildlife friendly planting palette. Tree planting species will be considered taking into account native species, local context and climate resilience. Fruiting trees are included to contribute towards urban food growing.

Sustainable urban drainage features will be incorporated into the proposals. Options are being explored which include planted raingardens, swales and permeable paving along with diverse and wildlife friendly plants to contribute to the site’s surface water management.

All of the 10 family homes will have their own private garden. Apartments will also have their own private amenity space in the form of balconies and private amenity spaces for ground floor apartments.

Members of the public will be able to take advantage of the through routes to access Sandy Park Road or Go Outdoors and Dunelm from the Bath Road and vice versa.

The proposals are designed to meet the Government’s Future Homes Standard. The proposed homes will be constructed following a fabric first approach to reduce energy demand incorporating very high standards of thermal insulation.

The houses will incorporate air source heat pumps whilst the apartments will have individual exhaust air source heat pumps. This will ensure that the development provides very low CO2 emissions which will continue to decarbonise over time as National Grid decarbonises.

Solar PVs will also be provided to deliver further carbon reductions.