4.3 The Milsom Quarter (the area shown on the map above) is an area that is in decline, shown by falling footfall and increasing vacancy rates. The Council is seeking to create a more vibrant and diverse part of the city with a greater balance in the mix of uses, activity and increased residential development, all combining to redefine the sense of community and increased local purpose.
4.4 In the short-term the Council is focussing on a range of interventions which aim to stop the decline of Milsom Street, protect businesses and local jobs and give residents and visitors reasons to visit Milsom Street. Over the medium-term repurposing of retail space, increasing the mix and diversity of uses to include redevelopment of upper floors and meanwhile uses is planned. In the longer term there is a significant opportunity to transform Milsom Quarter with the Council already commencing a Commercial Estates Review.
4.5 The Local Plan Partial Update provides an opportunity to look at establishing a planning policy framework for this area that helps to facilitate the change and greater diversity of uses outlined above. This local policy approach will work alongside and complement the recent changes to the use classes order (creation of the new E class use) which enable greater flexibility in planning for town centre uses.
4.6 Currently the Placemaking Plan defines primary retail frontages for the city centre, within which the policy seeks to maintain active ground floor uses and protects retail uses so that shopping frontages are not fragmented and the shopping function of the centre is not harmed. These include frontages within Milsom Quarter, such as Milsom Street, Green Street, New Bond Street, Old Bond Street, Burton Street, Broad Street and northern side of Quiet Street. Outside the primary frontages current Placemaking Plan Policy is more flexible in allowing a greater diversity of town centre uses that attract pedestrian activity and footfall. Whilst NPPF 2019 no longer requires Local Plans to define primary or secondary frontages the Council does not intend to re-consider this city centre wide approach until the full Local Plan review. Therefore, options for a bespoke policy approach for Milsom Quarter will be considered. Further evidence work is needed in support of the Draft Plan.
4.7 In addition to more diverse town centre uses increased residential development will help to create a more vibrant community and assist in making the area more financially viable. Issues to be assessed will include the implications of introducing greater residential use in this area and whether residential dwellings should be limited to upper floors, in order to help maintain ground floor activity, attractiveness and footfall. Even where residential dwellings are limited to upper floors this will require the creation of a separate access/entrance or residential foyer on the ground floor. This would need to be implemented in a manner that maintains or minimises harm to activity levels on the ground floor and may give rise to listed buildings issues. The policy framework to be established would need to ensure these impacts are appropriately addressed.
4.8 It should be noted that the local policy approach to be introduced may also be influenced by further potential changes to permitted development rights which the government has recently published for consultation. The government is consulting on a proposal that a change of use from any use or mix of uses within the new E use class to residential (use class C3) would become permitted development. This permitted development right would apply in conservation areas, albeit subject to prior approval of the impact of the loss of ground floor use to residential. However, the permitted development right may not apply in World Heritage Sites and if this is the case would not be relevant in respect of Milsom Quarter. The progress of these changes to permitted development rights will be kept under review.
4.9 In addition to the Local Plan Partial Update policy approach the Council will also be seeking to prepare an evidence-based Vision and Masterplan for Milsom Quarter to underpin the future redevelopment and regeneration of this area, working alongside the Top of the City Access and Movement Strategy.
Consultation Reference Bath3
New policy: Milsom Quarter
Proposed identification of Milsom Quarter and inclusion of a specific policy enabling greater flexibility and diversity of uses within the defined area, focussing on a mix of town centre uses and residential development. Within the policy there would be two options:
Option 1: Allowing a mix of town centre uses on the ground floor, with residential dwellings on upper floors only. The creation of residential entrance foyers on the ground floor would be allowed in order that residential dwellings above can be delivered.
Option 2: Enabling a mix of town centre and residential dwellings on all floors (including the ground floor). In order to ensure footfall and activity this option may be subject to retaining a specified proportion of ground floor premises in town centre uses.
4.10 Milsom Quarter also includes the Cattlemarket site, which is allocated in the Placemaking Plan (Policy SB1) for comprehensive redevelopment delivering a fine grain mix of uses reflecting the diverse nature of Walcot Street. The use mix to include retail uses, food & drink, B1 (now E use class) workspace and a residential element, including affordable housing. In order to help make redevelopment financially viable and deliverable it may be necessary to allow an increased proportion of residential dwellings in the mix of uses, including on the ground floor. However, it is important that a mix of uses and diverse character is provided. Therefore, as an option it is proposed to amend Policy SB1 to refer to a more significant residential element.
Consultation Reference Bath4
Amend Policy SB1 (Cattlemarket site)
It is proposed to amend the policy so that it refers to a more significant residential element, including on the ground floor, as part of a mixed-use scheme to deliver comprehensive redevelopment of the site. Other elements of the policy are not proposed to be changed.