South Stoke: Developer loses appeal to build 290 homes
A developer has failed in a second attempt to get permission to build 290 homes on fields near Bath.The Hignett Family Trust's initial proposal to develop land on the South Stoke plateau was rejected by Bath and North East Somerset Council last year.The trust said the decision was "unreasonable" and appealed to the Planning Inspectorate.Rejecting the appeal, the inspectorate said the development would have an "adverse effect" on the Cotswolds landscape and that councillors were right to refuse permission.
The land sits within Bath's World Heritage Site and the Cotswolds National Landscape (the National Landscape term has replaced "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty").The 290 houses, 40% of which were designated as affordable homes, would have been built as part of the trust's "Sulis Down" development.The trust has already built 170 Sulis Down homes, on land just west of the South Stoke plateau.The land earmarked for Sulis Down was taken out of the green belt 10 years ago, for a "mixed-use" development of up to 300 homes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.The 290 homes, added to the existing 170, would have exceeded this figure by more than half.
After rejecting the appeal, planning inspector Tom Gilbert-Wooldridge said: "It is unlikely that any amount of suitable planting would be sufficient to visually screen the housing during the day or night."Therefore, there would be an adverse effect on the special qualities of the [Cotswolds National Landscape] in terms of views of the escarpment and high wolds landscape as well as dark skies."Somerset is facing a significant housing shortage, however, and Hignett Family Trust had said the homes would be "a beautiful new addition to the city of Bath". But locals warned they would cause "carmageddon" on roads.Campaigners from the South of Bath Alliance (Soba), alongside the council and local parish councils, raised £13,000 for a lawyer to fight the plans.Soba, which held a protest against the homes at the initial planning decision in April 2024, thanked the "many volunteers" who helped "ensure the community's voice was heard"."This is a major success for [the council], South Stoke and Combe Hay parish councils and for the community members who have worked tirelessly over the past 12 years to oppose this excessive development," a spokesperson said.
Hignett Family Trust is now expected to block public access to the popular walking routes along the field boundaries on its Sulis Down land.One of the trust's submissions to the appeal inquiry said: "If the appeal is dismissed, that the appellant will then take immediate action to prevent further public access."
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The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
Are clumsy streetscapes threatening Edinburgh's heritage status?
'Whilst we may not be under imminent threat of being considered a World Heritage Site in danger, there is this steady, slow creep of issues which need to be addressed to reinforce the city's commitment to its inscription and the value that being a World Heritage Site brings,' says Terry Levinthal, director of the Cockburn Association. Conservation of the city's architectural heritage and its landscape on a macro scale has been relatively good (with a few noted exceptions), but small-scale interventions have been slowly slicing at the overall look and feel of the city. 'Death by a thousand cuts,' says Levinthal. 'One thing Edinburgh does not do well is streetscape, or how it manages the surfaces and the spaces in between buildings in an urban context.' Charlotte Square (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) The Cockburn Association, whose civic guardianship of Edinburgh hinges on heritage as civic responsibility rather than nostalgia, has sounded the alarm about the state of the city's streets. Two months on from the association's public forum, On the Road to Nowhere? Edinburgh's Streetscape and Heritage Places, Levinthal is cautiously optimistic. It would take a very long and substantial decline for the city to lose its World Heritage status, or for it to be considered endangered. But decades of 'chronic undermanagement' and an ethos that streetscape insertions have nothing to do with World Heritage when 'of course they do' has given heritage enthusiasts cause for concern. 'One of the one of the biggest risks in a historic city is not necessarily just to do with altering buildings or building new architecture, but it's actually making sure that you look after the historic streetscape, which is the setting for all of these beautiful buildings,' says Fiona Rankin, the head of public realm conservation at Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH). She explains that the city's streets don't have the same protections as listed buildings, which leaves them vulnerable to a lack of coherent design and maintenance standards. 'It's the cumulative effect of lots of small interventions that can really start to change the character of a place,' she adds. Modern times have brought a myriad of new street objects, like EV charging points, bins, defibrillators, phone charging stations, seating, bollards, planters, sandwich boards, cycle racks and more. They change how people see the street, plucking it out of its historic context and clashing with the Old and New Towns. 'We have to minimise the appearance of these interventions and design them so they coordinate well with each other,' says Rankin. 'It's really important that they're not just installed on a random basis, but the whole street design is taken into consideration, the positioning and design of such objects.' Frederick Street (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) Frederick Street (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) Piecemeal funding from local and national governments has resulted in a patchwork of streetscape elements. A project gets designed by one team; other teams are responsible for different areas. Working separately means they don't choose the same materials, the same style of seating or they might install signage under slightly different guidelines, and everything lacks continuity. Rankin points to Picardy Place as an example. Cycle lanes, tram lines, street lighting, and pedestrian crossings have created a confused urban landscape. 'You end up with a sea of poles,' Rankin says. 'Poles with signage, poles for crossing the road, poles for holding up tram lines. Areas like that, to me, have a negative effect on the heritage location.' Rather than just following engineering guidelines, she suggests that urban realm works begin with the aspiration to have as little intervention as possible and to find the option that suits the heritage best. 'I think it's very difficult to retrofit guidelines for a historic place when the guidelines are generally written for new places, new streets, new junctions,' she says. The EWH is currently working alongside the City of Edinburgh Council to develop a standalone Street Design Guidance Factsheet on Street Design in the Historic Environment, which will be added to the council's suite of Street Design Guidance Factsheets. Rankin has been seconded two days a week to work alongside the local authority's World Heritage officer to ensure that processes of thinking within the council are putting heritage first. 'Making it the starting point, the baseline,' she says. With the council, they are currently looking at coordinating the street furniture so that bins, cycle racks and seating all come from one design. 'We have a huge amount to learn from historic cities,' Levinthal says. 'We have an approach at the moment which is just not working with that outstanding heritage value that Edinburgh has.' (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) Edinburgh's Waverley Station (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) One of the biggest changes within the council is the introduction of statements of heritage significance commissioned by EWH. The key is not to try and take what they have done in say, Copenhagen or Amsterdam or Prague or Berlin and try to replant it in Edinburgh. The specific issues that the capital faces requires its own unique approach. The heritage statements are set to be given out at the very beginning of a project, defining the importance of a location and its history. The hope is that they will allow designers to develop a keen understanding and analysis of what they are dealing with right off the bat so they can carry out their work from start to finish in a sympathetic way. The first major heritage statement has been commissioned for Princes Street and the Waverley Valley ahead of its forthcoming redevelopment. 'This statement will give those designers information that tells them what the priorities are, what's important, and should steer the direction of their design so that it is compatible and complementary to the heritage,' says Rankin. 'We're all guardians of this wonderful city, and we have one chance to get it right.' The redevelopment of Waverley Station is one of the biggest concerns for the Cockburn Association at the moment. Levinthal is anticipating the launch of a master plan consultation 'sometime soon'. 'It is very much a wait and see what that brings with it,' he says. Previous plans involved demolishing large portions of the category A-listed station. At this point, Levinthal says, it's just speculation as to whether a consultation would 'alleviate any fears or give cause for concern.' A glaring issue with maintaining the decadent fabric of the historic streetscape comes down to cost. Council budgets are tight. Temporary fixes, like the tarmac on Frederick Street or the ramp at Charlotte Square, can easily become permanent when they serve a good enough purpose. But, as Levinthal points out, Edinburgh's UNESCO World Heritage City status is the 'golden goose' for both the city's and the country's coffers. Edinburgh'sGeorge Street looking west (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) Edinburgh's Waverley Station. (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) The city welcomes more than four million visitors annually who contribute £1.2 billion to the local economy. And the main reasons tourists flocked to the Lothians was for a castle or fort (42%) and to view architecture and buildings (32%), according to a 2023 survey by Visit Scotland. While it's difficult to pinpoint just how much heritage contributes to the figures or any heritage-specific revenue, it's clear that historic attractions play a key role in Edinburgh's tourism economy. 'Just for that reason alone, it really justifies the investment in it and its added protection,' Levinthal says. The Cockburn Association is optimistic about the forthcoming Visitor Levy, which came into law in September 2024. The tax on overnight accommodation is expected to raise up to £50m a year by 2028/9 which will be reinvested in Edinburgh to manage the burden of propping up a flourishing tourism economy in an ancient city. 'The income, if properly redeployed to help deal with deficiencies like streetscapes and the management of tourist parts of the city, will help deal with concerns the we have with the undermanagement and under maintenance of places,' says Levinthal. He hopes that over time, the trend of places being in slow decline will be transformed. Protecting Edinburgh as a small heritage city 'that punches well above its weight globally' will be on the forefront of civic and political thinking. 'A lot of those death by a thousand cuts could be healed with income that comes from the Visitor Levy, if properly spent and applied,' he adds. 'I think we are at a very exciting but critical point in time,' says Rankin. 'The city is aspiring to grow and transition, and for that reason, we have to proceed carefully. We can't just forge ahead.' In due course, Charlotte Square will be levelled out, as it was before the 1960s, and the unsightly ramp will no longer be needed. The crusty black tarmac on Frederick Street will ultimately be replaced with granite setts. (Image: GordonTerris_Herald&Times) 'For all projects and wider work carried out in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, we take great care to ensure that it respects and where possible, enhances the special character of the area,' says Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, transport and environment convener at City of Edinburgh Council. 'This is in conjunction with making sure that project considerations are properly taken into account, including both the specific and cumulative impacts. 'Under our City Centre Transformation strategy, we're committed to improving our streets and public spaces, creating safer conditions for walking, wheeling, and cycling, along with reducing air and noise pollution. We're taking these goals forward with ambitious projects such as the Low Emission Zone (LEZ), George Street and First New Town and improving the setted streets in the Old Town. Occasionally, we need to make emergency temporary repairs to ensure the safety and usability of streets and spaces. In these instances, permanent solutions will be brought forward as soon as possible. 'We work closely with partners such as Edinburgh World Heritage and Historic Environment Scotland, along with other key stakeholders, including the Cockburn Association, to achieve this consistency and respect for our World Heritage Site – and we'll continue to do so in the future.' Marissa MacWhirter is a columnist and feature writer at The Herald, and the editor of The Glasgow Wrap. The newsletter is curated between 5-7am each morning, bringing the best of local news to your inbox each morning without ads, clickbait, or hyperbole. Oh, and it's free. She can be found on X @marissaamayy1
ITV News
2 days ago
- ITV News
Why is the South West building so many new homes when thousands of old ones are empty?
The roof was falling in, water was creeping into the adjoining houses, and the garden was a jungle. No one had lived in the two-bedroom terraced house in Bath's Oldfield Park since 2001. Yet Bath & North East Somerset Council could do little about it, even though it had a housing waiting list of 5,500 people. "There's no specific, standalone law that prohibits a property being left empty," says Debbie Freeman, the council's sole Empty Property Officer. "It only becomes illegal when it starts to have a detrimental impact on other properties. We have to build a really clear case for enforcement; it's really labour-intensive. It can often cost a lot of money to bring cases to court.' With limited powers, it took the council more than a decade of legal wrangling to force the Oldfield Park owner to sell. And B&NES is one of the minority of councils with a dedicated Empty Property Officer. Two thirds of councils don't have anyone tasked with fighting these empty property battles. They used to have. Between 2012 and 2015 English councils got ring-fenced government money under the National Empty Homes Programme to fill up empty houses. They could spend it on officers like Debbie, grants, renovations. But when the money stopped, so did much of the work. An interactive map showing the number of empty homes across the South West According to the campaign group Action on Empty Homes, the number of long-term empty properties in England jumped by a third once the programme ended. It now stands at over 265,000 empty homes: 24,000 of them here in the South West - these are unoccupied, unfurnished homes that have stood empty for more than six months. Councils do have some tools for dealing with them. They can charge extra council tax on vacant properties (assuming they know who owns them - another challenge). They can give grants and VAT discounts to people wanting to renovate. Or they can do what B&NES Council does, and fight court battles. But there is no legal requirement for local authorities to bring empty properties back into use. With stretched budgets, many don't. "Empty homes are an opportunity to deal with the worst aspects of our housing crisis", says Chris Bailey, Campaign Manager at Action on Empty Homes. "Don't leave homes empty when they could be housing people. "They're homes that are in the right places. They're homes that are on your street and my street. They're not built on greenbelt. They're right there where people want to live - in the middle of our towns and cities - and they're going to waste." The government didn't mention empty homes in its manifesto, and it has not talked of reviving the funding to tackle the problem. Instead it has promised to build 1.5 million new houses over this parliament. Legally, it's the easier solution. Politically, it's powerful. But thousands of old homes stand silent and forgotten.
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
‘A giant issue': Coins to be removed from Giant's Causeway amid call for tourists to stop wedging tokens into cracks
The National Trust has confirmed it expects to remove all coins wedged into cracks of the basalt rock of Co Antrim's famous Giant's Causeway. It follows a report by the British Geological Survey that found that coins left by visitors from across the globe were having detrimental effects on the World Heritage Site. While the coins celebrate the wide ranging from tourists that come to Northern Ireland to enjoy the natural landmark, they subsequently will rust and expand causing the rock to crumble as well as stain. The National Trust had urged people to refrain from further damaging some of the site's 40,000 columns last Wednesday. However, after completing a recent trial to remove the coins safely, the National Trust have confirmed they plan to proceed with their overall removal, which is expected to cost upwards of £30k. 'A giant issue with coins has emerged at the Giant's Causeway,' a National Trust spokesperson said. 'The causeway, said by legend to have been created by the giant Finn McCool, is one of Antrim's most loved landmarks, and attracts visitors from across the globe. 'Wedging coins into the cracks in the basalt rock columns here has become a tradition for some visitors. 'But this seemingly harmless action is causing damage to the World Heritage Site. As the coins rapidly corrode they expand, causing the rock to flake and leaves rust coloured streaks. 'We're pleased to say that a recent trial to remove the coins safely has been successful and now it is hoped the coins – from all over the world – will be removed across the causeway.' The National Trust, in partnership with Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust, deployed specialists in stone conservation to 10 test locations at the site and remove coins without causing further damage. Dr Cliff Henry, National Trust nature engagement officer at the Giant's Causeway, urged visitors to preserve the natural site for future generations. 'When coins start to corrode, the steel often corrodes faster and separates from the different metal of the outer layer. This delamination causes the basalt to flake,' he said. 'The coins here also have accelerated corrosion because they are often soaked in saltwater spray and the mixture of metals means they break down faster.' Dr Henry added: 'We know that visitors really love and cherish the Giant's Causeway, and many form deep personal connections to this special landscape. 'We know some may want to leave a token of their visit, but the coins are causing damage and we are urging people to stop the practice and to leave no trace so this natural wonder remains special for future generations.' The Giant's Causeway was formed between 50 and 60 million years ago when lava erupted from cracks in the earth which cooled and broke into hexagonal columns. However, the popular tourist spot is steeped in mythology with Irish legends stating that it was formed by Irish giant Finn McCool to cross the sea battle a Scottish Giant.
