A massive redevelopment of Bath’s Avon Street Car Park has received final approval, heralding a transformative era for the city centre. The Bath Quays North project will see the creation of a vibrant new district, complete with shops, office spaces, a hotel, and various leisure facilities.

The project will feature over 16,000 square metres of office space, a 130-bed hotel, and areas designated for retail, financial services, food outlets, and a drinking establishment. New pedestrian-friendly streets will connect the development to the riverside park and cycle path, enhancing accessibility and urban flow. These include the pedestrianised Avon Street, “Little Corn Street,” and “Back Street,” which will link Somerset Street to “Little Somerset Yard.”

The Bath and North East Somerset Council’s planning committee granted final planning permission on 8 May. The project is seen as essential for the city’s growth.

Tim Warren of Midsomer Norton Redfield  stated, “Bath has been in desperate need of grade one office space for a long time… We are a World Heritage Site, but we are still a living city and we can’t turn it just into a museum.”

The project includes a 411-space basement car park, with 320 spaces for public use, and 92 residential flats. A future financial review will determine the potential for affordable housing.

The demolition of the old multi-storey car park was completed in September 2022, with a new bridge connecting to Bath Quays South opening in December 2022. The Bath Quays North project is set to redefine the city centre, marking a once-in-a-generation change.