SAXONVALE developers have gathered further comments from the public to help their vision for the site before their plans to submit a formal application by the end of April.
The Saxonvale site has been derelict for 10 years and sits adjacent to the River Frome and a short walk to the High Street. It was bought by Mendip District Council earlier in 2018 in order to facilitate regeneration. More than 600 people attended the first consultation to give their views and aspirations for the 10-acre former industrial site, which has helped shape the development plans.
A further consultation event was held at the Silk Mill Studios on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th February.
During the second consultation the developers said, “The proposed development is expecting to provide up to 300 new dwellings of which the majority will be apartments (circa 75%) and some houses (circa 25%).
“In addition, the development is expected to provide between 30,000 and 45,000 square feet of mixed, non-residential floorspace. Over 90% of respondents expressed support for the vision and principles put forward for Saxonvale, with many also offering comments.
“We are in pre-application dialogue with the planning authority to seek officers’ advice and comments from a wide range of internal specialist and statutory consultees. Their comments and advice to us will be received in mid-March.
“Now we broadly understand the layout, we can start setting down the number and type of dwellings for both sale and affordable homes. The commercial market interest exercise initiated by agents Cushman and Wakefield will draw in formal interest from potential non-residential users including community interests to help shape our detailed proposals.
“The planning application will be an outline application but will also seek a detailed planning permission for the design of the new Garsdale Road. This application will set limits on the quantum of housing and the floor space of non-residential uses, critical things like building height, disposition of public open space, strategic landscape design, road and pedestrian/cycle networks.
“Following from this, detailed planning permission for the development’s various phases will be sought through a series of reserved matters planning applications in the succeeding months.
“Between now and the submission of the application we will continue to work on the design so that submission can be accompanied by drawings and 3D images that will give a good impression of the proposed buildings, including illustrations of their elevations and materials where this is most critical.
“We plan to have a further exhibition of the proposals to be exhibited close to submission date scheduled for late April.
“If you prefer to respond away from this exhibition you can send comments using details below:
“By post to Nash Partnership, 23a Sydney Buildings, Bathwick, Bath BA2 6BZ, marking your response Saxonvale Consultation February 2019.
“The exhibition panels and comment form are also available on-line at https:// saxonvaleredevelopment. org/, or you can comment by email to Saxonvale@ acornpg.org.
