TARA is happy to lend its SUPPORT to proposals for the World Heritage Centre and Roman Bath Learning Centre at York Street.
It is true that visitor attractions in the city centre can cause problems for local residents including increased pressure on limited parking resources and the impact on air quality of slow moving tourist buses. We recognize , however, that as a World Heritage City Bath has an obligation to protect and enhance its historic sites and make them available to public view. In addition, tourists and visitors provide irreplaceable support to the local economy particularly to the hotel and retail sectors in the city centre from which local residents benefit.
TARA members have been fortunate in being able to follow the development of this scheme from its early stages. We believe that the proposals represent an ingenious and well thought through response to a challenging brief and complex site which will provide a welcome addition to the city’s array of cultural and historic treasures without adding significantly to the city centre’s existing problems.
However, given access constraints and lack of obvious availability of areas for storage close to the site there will be concerns among residents over management of the construction stage We therefor endorse the request by the Highway Officer in comments posted July 18th 2016 for prior approval by the council of a comprehensive Construction Management Plan should it be minded to grant consent.