This three-year project (2021 to 24) is supported by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Recovery Fund, UKSP Fund and Welcome Back Fund, and aims to vacant shops and buildings on High Streets to good use. The project is focused on Bath City Centre, with satellite schemes in Keynsham and Midsomer Norton.
The established projects are as follows:
- Make Space Keynsham, an arts and community space at 2 Riverside, Keynsham
- A new Community Space at Unit 14, South Road, Midsomer Norton. This has been occupied for 3 years for use by the local community, moving to long term commercial occupation by a local business in 2025.
- Creative Twerton community arts and exhibition spaces, 106 to 107 Twerton High Street. This operated as a successful meanwhile space for 2 years, and has now gained successful commercial interest for private occupation.
- Short-term pop-up uses of temporary empty spaces for retail, charities and including vacant shop units in central Bath
- Milsom Quarter Meanwhile Uses. An exciting new project as part of the recent acquisition of the Old Post Office Building in Bath City Centre, which will in time be redeveloped into the Fashion Museum’s new location. In the meantime, The VUAP will support the existing retail units back to market as 'Meanwhile Uses' under temporary leases, in line with the Masterplan’s strategic vision for the Milsom Quarter
Or watch the Vacant Units Action Project video and project update on YouTube
In 2024, we successfully secured a further £833,000 grant from WECA to deliver a third phase of this project. The funding will cover predominantly capital activities, bringing challenging or otherwise vacant properties back into use, catalysing the project's broader High Street Regeneration objectives.
These include:
- Redevelopment of the two long-term vacant units in Keynsham Temple Street and Riverside bringing these council owned units back into productive use. This project is now underway with expected completion in summer 2025 for the delivery of new community and health uses.
- Extension of the successful Vacant Unit Action Project (VUAP) for a further year to 31 March 2025. This will allow the Regeneration team to grow the existing VUAP programme, facilitating further meanwhile uses and pop-up projects on High Streets across B&NES. Latest projects include:
- An Arts and Cultural Hub in the Former Printworks, Radstock
- Studio 22 pop-up space in central Bath
- A sustainable fashion store in Bath, hosted by Bath Spa University, acting as a space for creative makers and retail use
Studio 22
Studio 22 is a flexible creative space in central Bath that facilitates a variety of pop-up uses during the weekend. The space is available to local businesses and individuals who may not otherwise have the opportunity to trade or operate from High Street shop.
This provides independent businesses with exposure and valuable experience of trading on the High Street, in some cases giving them the confidence to move into a more permanent retail space.
Located on New Bond Street, Studio 22 contributes towards the vibrancy of the Milsom Quarter and its place-based branding as Bath’s fashion district. We are particularly interested in supporting design, making and fashion uses.
To find out more about Studio 22 please email studio22@bathnes.gov.uk