Championing Economy, Heritage and Culture

During the last four years we delivered the Bath Quays South development, advanced the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone, moved ahead with Twerton, Southdown and Weston High Street regeneration, worked with the Business Improvement District to improve Bath city centre, redeveloped Keynsham High Street, transformed Midsomer Norton Town Hall, and were enormously proud to become the only UK location to receive a coveted second UNESCO world heritage designation. Building on these successes we will:

  • Continue delivering on our exciting vision for our internationally important Fashion Museum and development of a Fashion Quarter.

  • Nurture and promote Bath as a Festival City.

  • Continue the development of Bath Quays North.

  • Deliver a Somer Valley Enterprise Zone that creates local jobs and reduces the need for commuting to Bristol, whilst ensuring that the right businesses are attracted that do not undermine the local high street and do not create a significant uplift in HGV journeys on the A37.

  • Work with the Town Council in Midsomer Norton to implement the £2.2 million High Street Renewal Programme.

  • Work with the Town Council to bring new life, community space and new business to Radstock through the Town Centre Regeneration plan.

  • Seek to appoint an Architect in Residence who will make contributions to creative building design outcomes, advise on desired excellence in design and help architects to improve the output from their practice.

  • Look to better utilise off peak months to boost visitors and seek to extend visitor stays.

  • Continue taking a highly proactive and successful approach to filling Council owned retail units.

  • Seek to improve Wi-Fi connectivity in our towns and city.

  • Work with all stakeholders to ensure the heritage buildings in Bath can receive full fibre connectivity, and a fully upgraded 5G network.

  • Work with the private sector to ensure developments in Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Radstock are able to offer the latest digital infrastructure.

  • Continue to deliver revitalisation of our existing retail centres with bold and imaginative designs, such as the new plans for the Milsom Street Quarter.

  • Encourage ‘Green Tourism’ across the whole of B&NES.

  • Deliver safer cycling, walking and wheeling routes to visitor destinations outside the city centre.

  • Enable Weston Island as an Arts/Cultural destination for the city.

  • Continue to oppose the loss of entire homes from the housing market through the creation of ‘party houses’ and use the opportunity to licence whole-house B&Bs should central government allow this.

  • Help the transition to electric vehicles for all and Develop charging hubs to support EVs and eCar clubs.

  • Support innovation regeneration and localisation in food production and farming.

  • Seek to support local food production within and on the outskirts of our towns and city.

  • Support our local higher educational establishments as drivers of the local economy whilst minimising their impact on congestion and air quality.

  • Explore affordable housing for apprentices.

  • Allow the extension volume for the smallest workers’ cottages to increase beyond the current 33%.

  • Continue to ensure the Council’s procurement process favours local businesses.

  • Develop the Riverside Quarter with new uses for the Guildhall and Colonnades.

  • Continue to work closely with WECA on the corridor improvements (A367, A37 and A4)

  • Support businesses in rural areas that provide a lifeline for many, and encourage visitors to support our rural economy.

  • Continue to maintain and enhance our library service, including supporting community libraries.