By: John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: Campaigners have vowed to continue to hold Bath and North East Somerset Council to account over its plans to build on a nature haven, despite losing the fight to stop the homes.
There had been calls for Bath’s “tufa field” to be protected. Located behind houses on Englishcombe Lane just downhill from Corston View Park, the field contains rare limestone formations called tufa and is a site of nature conservation interest.
A council plan to build 37 homes on the field six years ago was granted planning permission but later scrapped by the council in 2021. Now a “landscape-led” council scheme to build sixteen affordable homes as a specialist development for people with autism and learning difficulties on the field has been granted planning permission — despite objections.
But on the Tufa Field website — tufafield.com — which hosts blogs about the nature reserve, campaigners have insisted they will continue to hold the council to account over the development of the field.
A post on the website left shortly after planning permission was granted on September 25 said: “Our focus now switches to holding the council and its developers to account to produce the ecological mitigation plans they have put forward.
“Every detailed plan will be scrutinised, every action undertaken during and after construction will be monitored and every deviation will be followed up with the full force of available remedies. Expect the Health and Safety Executive and planning enforcement officers to be busy.”
The website hosts live video from cameras set up to film the field’s wildlife. In August 2023, it was Simon Banks from the website who called an ambulance when a forklift on the site to carry out geological surveys for the planning application tipped over with someone inside, whose injuries were believed to be minor.
The 16 homes set to be build in the site will be concentrated in two clusters on each side of the springs and streams in the heart of the field, with a “boardwalk” footpath bridging the centre of the field. The development would house 16 residents and provide overnight accommodation for carers and would also include a “community hub.” The council has warned there is a shortage of supported living in the area and the homes will be “life changing.”
The council’s planning committee, which effectively independently from the parts of the council which drew up the plans, voted almost unanimously to approve the plans, with eight votes in favour and no votes against, although two councillors abstained from the vote.
Planning officers had recommended the plans be approved, telling the committee: “The unique qualities of the site are found to be retained and will become a feature within this new community. It will increase the value of the development for the proposed resident group who will benefit from living in this rich, natural, interesting, and calm environment.”
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