The historic Bath Press site on Lower Bristol Road is set to host a striking new development featuring modern “mansion house” style blocks of flats. Developer City & Country, who commenced construction on the eastern half earlier this year, has now submitted fresh plans to transform the western half of the site with a bold architectural vision.
City & Country proposes constructing 220 homes in an innovative layout characterized by six Superman shield-shaped blocks grouped around two diagonally oriented courtyards. These courtyards are thoughtfully designed to maximize solar efficiency while providing green communal spaces that promote resident well-being and social interaction. Along Brook Road, a separate terrace of affordable housing will complement the overall scheme.
This new application replaces the original 2016 planning permission which called for traditional terraces and blocks of flats on this western portion. The developer emphasizes that the design serves as a sensitive transition between the contemporary developments emerging along Lower Bristol Road and the established character of nearby Oldfield Park.
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The site holds a rich heritage dating back to 1889 when Sir Isaac Pitman founded a phonetic institute here. The premises evolved into Pitman Press and later Bath Press, with the iconic Art Deco facade completed by 1926. Although the printing works closed in 2007 and most structures were demolished ten years later, the façade and chimney remain as historic markers.
Today, Lower Bristol Road is one of Bath’s fastest transforming areas, witnessing projects such as new student accommodation and the Bath Western Riverside development across the street. The Bath Press site’s redevelopment is a significant chapter in the ongoing revitalization of this vibrant neighborhood.