Labour councillors on Bath and North East Somerset Council have voiced concerns that the council is prioritizing Bath’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status over the urgent need for new homes. They argue that the local authority should conduct a comprehensive assessment of the economic benefits and drawbacks associated with the city’s UNESCO designation.
The government has mandated the council to build 27,000 homes by 2043. However, the Liberal Democrat-led council’s local plan proposes concentrating most new housing developments outside Bath to protect the city’s historic UNESCO status. This approach has drawn criticism from Labour’s opposition leader, Westfield councillor Robin Moss, who described the strategy as disappointing. He stated, “This Lib Dem local plan suggests that, because B&NES wants to hold onto its UNESCO status, we can’t build the homes that Bath people need. But our economy needs homes and jobs.”
Bath’s UNESCO designation highlights the city’s unique setting within a “hollow in the hills.” Council leaders have warned that significant suburban expansion could threaten this status. Consequently, they propose directing housing growth to other parts of North East Somerset. This stance has sparked debate, with some local politicians advocating for Bath to relinquish its UNESCO status to accommodate more housing. Saltford parish councillor Phil Harding raised this idea in June, but council housing cabinet member Matt McCabe firmly rejected it as a “non-starter” in an October committee meeting.
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Labour demands that the council fully evaluate the economic impacts of UNESCO inscriptions across the district and commits to providing Bath with the affordable homes its residents desperately need. Moss also criticized the local plan and movement strategy, stating they risk transforming Bath into a city dominated by affluent commuters, students, and tourists. He emphasized the necessity of more affordable housing within Bath to reduce long commutes, noting the city currently hosts 23,000 students occupying private rentals, with projections indicating a further increase of 7,300 students.
Moss warned of potential community division and inequality resulting from current strategies and urged the council to prioritize housing for ordinary residents close to work over preserving UNESCO status and catering mainly to students and tourism. “These things have some value, but not as much as maintaining community cohesion and reducing inequality,” he said.
The council has also proposed banning the conversion of three-bedroom family homes into shared houses, or HMOs, to lessen student housing pressures. Additionally, the authority has launched a £12 million B&NES Homes programme to create new social housing by repurposing unused council buildings—the first council homes built in over two decades. Nevertheless, the majority of affordable housing still depends on developer contributions from large projects.
Matt McCabe criticized the government’s housing targets as rigid and lacking nuance, arguing that Bath’s unique character demands a tailored approach rather than a one-size-fits-all formula. “We have argued our case with government that Bath is unique and you need to take a different approach rather than applying this calculator,” he said.