Bath Quays Waterside: The archaeology of industry, commerce and the lives of the poor in Bath’s lost quayside district (Wessex Archaology Occasional Paper)

Product Information

Installing new flood walls and raise existing river walls on the south side of the river between Churchill Bridge and Midland Bridge. To increase the sense of place and connect people to the river, vehicles were diverted from Green Park road onto a new road and the riverbank was widened, creating a public open space. Flood tolerant wild flowers and ferns have been planted to withstand flood events. Ecological improvements included the planting of 150 trees including fruiting species to attract pollinators, reed rafts in the River Avon, sensitive riverside lighting for bats and other wildlife. Energy efficient recessed LED lighting to all office areas will provide high levels of illumination with low levels of glare with intelligent controls Use of the Broad Quays moorings will also be affected during the river widening. Updates on the timescales for this, the extent of moorings affected and details of alternative mooring arrangements will be issued later this year.

Proposed tree species on north bank including an increase in the range of maturity of trees to be planted. As well as the south facing riverside park, the flood works will provide the opportunity for new workspace to be constructed on both sides of the river and linked by a brand new pedestrian and cyclist bridge. The workspace will be at the heart of Bath Quays on both sides of the river with the potential to create more than 2,000 new jobs in the city. New public spaces will help to provide important links between the city centre and communities to the south. The plans also aim to reduce existing and future flood risk to the Lower Bristol Road and over 100 residential and commercial properties on the South side of the river through the provision of new flood defences.

Be in Bath

All of the work in this investment will help to open up the city centre to the riverside and ultimately lead to the development of new space for home-grown and growing businesses.” The next phase of flood works will involve the excavation of the north river bank between Churchill Bridge and Green Park, allowing the widening of the river bank, which will improve the River Avon’s ability to convey flood water, and establish the new riverside public open space. Various changes to proposed flood protection works to existing buildings on south river bank and adjacent flood walls. Our role on Bath Quays South involved the submission of a comprehensive application that included an Environmental Statement. x Electric Car Charging points with the facility for additional charging points to meet occupier requirements

The Riverside coach park and café will remain open, although the coach park is now operating as a short term parking facility only, with long term coach parking available at the First Bus depot at Weston Island. A comprehensive Outline Planning Application, with Environmental Statement, was submitted in respect of the Bath Quays North scheme.The project will reduce flood risk for more than 100 existing properties, reconnect the city centre to the riverside with a new waterside park, and allow Bath Quays to develop as a new home for businesses. Under the new system, Ambury will remain one-way but with the existing buses-only restriction removed, and a new exit onto Ambury from the Avon Street car park has also been created, to replace the current exit onto Green Park Road. These schemes will deliver the regeneration of this part of the Waterside Enterprise Area, within the centre of the World Heritage City of Bath. The Council is working with the Environment Agency to re-evaluate options inside and outside of the new regeneration areas to ensure flood risk in Bath is managed as effectively as possible.

Councillor Tim Warren (Conservative, Mendip) Leader of the Council, added: “I am delighted to see our vision for more connected and entrepreneurial riverside area in Bath coming to life with this next stage of work. The project will improve flood defences and make the area more resilient as well as helping to boost the district’s economy and create even greater prospects for local people.”From Monday 16th May, traffic currently using Green Park Road will be permanently diverted around the north of the Avon Street car park via Corn Street and the new road link that has been created through the Riverside Coach Park. Although Green Park Road will be closed to motorised traffic, a route along will be retained for pedestrians and cyclists for use at completion of the scheme. We anticipate that this first phase of flood works and riverside park will be completed by the end of 2016, with the final phase of Bath Quays Waterside flood defence works to be completed in 2017/2018. This riverside work will require the riverside path between Green Park and Broad Quay to be closed on occasions, but pedestrians and cyclists will only be diverted when necessary and signs will be in place. Specialists from our Planning and Economics teams are engaged in work on the redevelopment of Bath Quays.