Bath, renowned worldwide for its Roman Baths and Georgian architecture, faces a distinctive dilemma: how to meet its pressing housing demands while preserving its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This prestigious listing encompasses not just iconic landmarks like the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge but extends to the city’s overall historic character, protecting it from unchecked development.
Home to over 94,000 residents, Bath struggles with a shortage of affordable housing and limited space for new builds. Unlike many cities, Bath’s growth is tightly constrained by the protected green hills that encircle it—designated under UNESCO to maintain the city’s historic setting as a “hollow in the hills.” This protection restricts urban sprawl and limits how much and where new homes can be constructed.
Bath and North East Somerset Council is currently crafting a local plan to address housing from 2027 to 2043, aiming to deliver 27,000 new homes mandated by the government. However, the World Heritage status severely limits options within the city, pushing much of the new development into surrounding villages and towns. This redistribution has sparked concerns and opposition from local communities worried about overdevelopment.
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The council recognizes the complexity of the situation. Matt McCabe, cabinet member for built environment, highlights that Bath’s UNESCO ring restricts expansion, stating, “If we build on it, we risk damaging the World Heritage listing.” The stakes are high, as Liverpool lost its World Heritage status in 2021 due to redevelopment that compromised its historic value—a fate Bath works hard to avoid.
To balance growth and preservation, Bath’s local plan favors higher-density apartment living over suburban-style houses, aiming to maximize the limited space within the city. The council is also proposing a ban on converting three-bedroom family homes into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), aiming to protect family homes from being replaced by shared housing.
Despite public calls in some areas for Bath to relinquish its World Heritage status to ease development pressures, the council firmly rejects this, emphasizing the city’s pride in its heritage and commitment to preservation.
One notable and controversial proposal in the local plan is the potential development west of Bath, involving up to 1,950 homes. The council acknowledges the substantial harm this could cause to the World Heritage status but includes it to explore if public benefits might justify the development.
As the consultation on the local plan options continues until mid-November, Bath stands at a crossroads—striving to grow and provide homes without sacrificing the historic essence that defines it.