Council Unanimously Approves Next Phase Of Bath Press Regeneration

Bath and North East Somerset Council has unanimously approved plans for the western parcel of the prominent Bath Press site in Bath. Specialist housebuilder City & Country, the developer behind the scheme, will now begin preparations for this next phase, having already commenced construction on the eastern parcel in 2025.

The approved plans represent the next stage in the regeneration of one of Bath's most important brownfield sites, the former printworks founded by Sir Isaac Pitman in 1889. Building on the existing development, City & Country appointed Bath-based architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCB Studios) and landscape architects Grant Associates to design 220 homes for the western parcel, including 34 affordable homes. Upon completion, the wider Bath Press development will deliver a total of 366 new homes.

The new homes will predominantly comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments arranged across three apartment buildings that taper into shared courtyard spaces. Five townhouses, designed in the traditional Bath mansion style, will complete the residential offering.

Keith Bradley, Founding Partner of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, said: "Good housing is about creating places where people can put down roots, where landscape and community are part of everyday life, and where development contributes positively to the wider city. As the first practice to win the Stirling Prize for a housing scheme, we understand the importance of responding to local context and the responsibility that comes with designing in a city of such architectural significance.

Working with City & Country and Grant Associates, we have designed a distinctive, sustainable neighbourhood that responds to the character of Victorian Bath, creates a greener gateway into the city and delivers 220 much-needed new homes. Planning approval for Bath Press West is an important step towards bringing this long-vacant brownfield site back into use and completing the regeneration of this important part of Bath with a place that feels connected, generous and built to last."

Alongside the new homes, City & Country will deliver three commercial units facing Lower Bristol Road, three children's play areas, and enhanced walking and cycling connections linking into existing local routes.

Simon Vernon-Harcourt, Design & Planning Director at City & Country, said: "We were especially pleased to have received unanimous support from the planning committee, who recognised the outstanding design quality, which will enable us to realise the wider vision for Bath Press. Bath and North East Somerset's planning team were also proactive and positive throughout the process and played an important role in helping deliver this scheme and articulate its benefits to the Planning Committee.

It is always a joy to work with an exceptional team of consultants. Bath-based FCB Studios and Grant Associates have brought tremendous creativity to the project, helping us design something that genuinely responds to this Victorian part of Bath. Once complete, this development will transform a sterile brownfield site into sensitively designed homes set within a rich and secluded urban landscape. City & Country has extensive experience working with complex urban and heritage sites, and collaborating with talented consultants who share our commitment to great design is fundamental to creating sustainable, high-quality places to live."

City & Country launched the eastern phase of Bath Press in April 2025 to strong market interest. A selection of craft-designed apartments and townhouses is currently available for purchase, with prices starting from £350,000 for a one-bedroom apartment and £900,000 for a four-bedroom townhouse.

For more information, visit www.cityandcountry.co.uk.