Weston Island – Existing allocation
First Bus have emerging plans to electrify their Weston Island depot to allow for the ongoing electrification of their fleet. This significant investment is very much welcomed by the council as it contributes to the council’s net zero ambitions and results in state of the art electric buses, improved air quality and significant reductions in carbon emissions.
This investment is a clear indication that First Bus are very unlikely to vacate Weston Island within this plan period. And the implication of this is that Weston Island is not going to available for other uses that had previously been considered for this site (Policy SB23).
However, given that the proposed electrification works are contained within the eastern half of the sites, there is, subject to agreement from the landowner, a potential opportunity for other uses to be introduced on the western half the site.
As per Evidence from the Future Economic Needs Assessment Review (May, 2025), there are sound planning reasons to retain an industrial focus for this portion of the site. It is also in Flood Zone 3 which precludes residential and other vulnerable uses.
Notwithstanding the evidence to retain this portion of the site for industrial purposes, there is an aspiration from Bath Art Depot (BAD) to be located onto the site.
Whilst this concept is supported in principle, there is currently no evidence of how this could be delivered and therefore it is not reasonable, at this stage, for the local plan to seek to allocate land for this purpose. The local plan will however continue to be supportive of the concept, with the potential allocation being related to whether further evidence regarding its deliverability can be demonstrated during the production of the local plan. It should also be borne in mind that the use of the site for these purposes might impede the council’s delivery of its other economic priorities, such as reusing the site for industrial purposes. This will need to be explored further in preparing the Draft Local Plan.
Bath Spa University has an aspiration to deliver and evolve the Locksbrook Creative Industry Hub and there could be potential to utilise Weston Island as part of this. If this concept provides employment floorspace it has the potential to contribute towards the vitality and vibrancy of the wider area. Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and teaching space would not be supported.
One of the specific requirements in the current site allocation policy is to ‘Provide a welcoming, spacious and safe public sustainable transport link across Weston Island and its respective bridges and provide high quality public realm.’ It then goes on to state that ‘there may also be opportunities for more public facing uses such as creative, arts based activities. Such uses could help to animate and overlook this new link’. Therefore, if any employment led development were to come forward on the western portion of the site, or indeed any proposals from Bath Spa University as part of the Locksbrook Creativity Hub concept and/or from Bath Art Depot, there would be a requirement that development provide a positive frontage to this route to help to animate and overlook this new link.
Weston Island – SB23 diagram (from the Adopted Plan)
Click to enlarge
Review the existing allocation for Weston Island (SB23)
The western portion of the site is to be protected for industrial uses in line with the Production Quarter area as outlined above.
Whilst industrial uses are the priority, and subject to the space requirements of particular uses, there may be the potential to combine the industrial land use requirements with some or all of the, Locksbrook Creative Industry Hub and Bath Art Depot elements.