An upgrade to an iconic bridge to give it its own "visual voice," plans for flats in a historic church's former Sunday school, and new homes in a small congested village are among the schemes people are trying to get planning permission for in Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset.

Every week, the two neighbouring unitary authorities receive hundreds of planning applications and we have selected some of the most interesting proposals.

All planning applications are available for public inspection on the respective council's website. Most plans will be decided by council planning officers, but some of the most significant or contentious will go before the councils' planning committee.

Planning committees are made up of elected councillors but decisions should be decided based on the council's planning policies, not local politics — although it doesn't always turn out that way.

"Cutting edge" upgrade to Clifton Suspension Bridge

"Cutting edge" new lighting could soon be installed on Clifton Suspension Bridge to give it its own "visual voice."

The iconic bridge which links Somerset and Bristol was designed by — and posthumously completed as a memorial to — Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Now the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust which owns the bridge wants to install new "cutting-edge, visually stunning, low energy, environmentally friendly and sustainable" lighting to the bridge to replace the current outdated lights that illuminate the bridge. 

A statement submitted with a planning application for the works said: "As well as reducing environmental impact, the scheme will enable the trust to creatively light the bridge in different ways and colours, giving the unique landmark an artistic 'visual voice' that can respond to communities' values and participate in its celebrations.

"Further and very importantly, the lighting proposals will greatly improve safety for pedestrians and for maintenance workers. The existing lighting is now dated, passed it's useful life and is increasingly costly to maintain."

The works will be entirely funded — as with all maintenance and upkeep of the bridge — by the £1 toll that drivers pay to cross. The bridge is free to cross for cyclists and pedestrians.

Although mainly known as a Bristol landmark, with one end solidly planted in Somerset soil, the trust has applied to both North Somerset Council and Bristol City Council for planning permission.

You can view and comment on the North Somerset Council website here: https://planning.n-somerset.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=S57A3GLP05K00

The planning application to Bristol City Council is available here: https://pa.bristol.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=S55GP8DNJKE00&activeTab=summary

Historic church's Sunday school could become flats

A former Sunday school building at the rear of a now-disused historic church in Bath could be turned into eight flats.

The United Reform Church on Argyle Street opened its doors to religious nonconformists in 1890 and remained a place of worship for the next 130 years — until it finally closed in 2020 during the Covid pandemic.

Planning permission was recently granted to renovate the church so it could be brought back into use as a community or commercial space, such as "a museum, art gallery or studio."

Now its owners, Bedstone Developments have also submitted a planning application to Bath and North East Somerset Council to turn the former Sunday school at the rear of the building into eight flats. A Sunday school room was first built in 1844, which has been substantially added to and altered over the years.

A heritage statement submitted with the application said: "The combination of the Victorian and post-war structures have resulted in an incoherent labyrinth of meeting rooms, offices, and performance spaces."

The plans propose redeveloping this space into eight flats, with four on the ground floor, three on the first floor, and a single larger three-bedroom flat on the second floor. Flats on the ground and first floors will be a mix of one and two bedrooms. The flats would be accessed through the existing 1950s entrance on Grove Street.

A design and access statement submitted with the application said: "The Grade II Listed United Reform Church, alongside its immediate neighbours forms an important link between the City Centre and Great Pulteney Street and its continued use and maintenance is important both locally and nationally.

"A commercial/community use is deemed to be the most appropriate use for the original church building fronting Argyle Street. Conversion to residential use for the remainder of the site is appropriate and achievable without undue alterations and will ensure the continued beneficial use of the building."

You can view and comment on the plans here: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/webforms/planning/details.html?refval=23%2F04782%2FFUL

New homes in centre of congested village

Developers are hoping to build two homes in a small Somerset village with a congestion problem.

Bickfield Property Investments Ltd submitted a planning application to North Somerset Council to build two homes right in the centre of Banwell, off High Street behind the former Ship Inn. The homes would both be two-storeys high with four bedrooms in each.

Planning permission had been granted in 2020 but expired after work did not begin within three years — although developers argued that their clearing of the site and ecological measures in 2022 should have counted. They are now applying to get the permission again, with a few design changes "to create a more modest appearance."

The homes will be just around the corner from "the narrows," a major bottleneck in the village which sees an A-road go down to a single lane. Work is hoped to start this year on a bypass to relieve the village of its traffic problem — almost 100 years after it was first proposed. 

You can view and comment on the plans here: https://planning.n-somerset.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=S4U1BVLPFW400&activeTab=summary

Bath garage could become house

A garage in Bath just around the corner from The Circus and Royal Crescent could be converted into a house.

A planning application submitted to Bath and North East Somerset Council proposes that the garage with a room above on Circus Place be converted into a two-bedroom home. A statement submitted with the application said: "With removing the large garage door and replacing with a smaller one and pedestrian door the front elevation will be more in keeping with the Mew style housing in the area."

The upstairs room would be divided into two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with new partition walls in the garage to create a ground floor kitchen and lounge. Proposed floorplans show that enough of the garage would remain to fit a Porsche and bicycle storage.

You can view and comment on the plans here: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/webforms/planning/details.html?refval=23%2F04487%2FFUL#details_Section