SouthGate's big dig complete
Work on Bath's £360 million SouthGate centre has reached a major milestone.
Multi, the company behind the nine-acre shops and housing scheme, has completed excavation for the 860-space car park underneath the development.
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Contractor Sir William McAlpine's staff have removed the final bucketful of earth from the basement car park which will partially open in autumn next year.
The centre itself will open in four phases, beginning with a £13 million bus station due to see its first passengers in spring next year.
The project will then continue with three retail blocks, featuring stores from Swedish fashion retailer H&M and Boots, opening in autumn next year.
The second and third retail phases will then be staggered through 2010 with a flagship 125,000 sq three-storey Debenhams store opening along with a £10 million revamp of Bath Spa railway station in autumn of that year.
At its peak more than 300 lorries were going in and out of the site every day.
The majority of the 130,000 cubic metres of soil excavated from the SouthGate car park has been recycled and used to develop a new golf course.
Multi Development UK Ltd development manager Jon Munce said contractors at the site were now free to complete the structure of the three-storey car park up to ground level.
He said: "The completion of this dig will now allow the piling and reinforced concrete frame to progress in order to complete the underground car park structure early next year.
"By recycling the soil from this area and using it to create a new golf course we have reduced waste, reduced the need for excess transport and also reduced costs, which will ultimately benefit the end user."
Multi is working closely with Bath and North East Somerset Council on the scheme.
B&NES cabinet member for major projects Cllr Terry Gazzard said: "Multi have done very well and we have done very well to get to this point without any significant problems with the archaeology and the Bath spa water.
"It is a siginifcant step forward for the project and it is great to be making progress."
Architect Adrian Stiff designed the Players Club golf club near Chipping Sodbury which has benefited from the rubble removed to build the SouthGate car park.
Mr Stiff said the soil from the basement car park had helped to shape the land and make it more interesting.
He said: "The topsoil needed to be removed initially and the subsoil from SouthGate was added to create shape to the new course.
"We are delighted that the ground taken from the SouthGate site has been recycled for this project."
Multi has also recently picked up two awards for its Victoria Square scheme in its home city of Belfast.
The company was named Northern Ireland Developer of the Year and picked up the prize for Northern Ireland Commercial Development of the Year for Victoria Square in the The Irish Property Awards hosted by trade magazine Property Week.
Multi has been talking to more than 100 retailers looking to secure one of 56 units in SouthGate.
The firm is hoping to name more retailers in the next few weeks.
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by anon, Bath
Tuesday, December 09 2008, 10:38AM
“Bath is such a city of moaners! thats all i ever see cant some people just get a grip”
by Gary, Bath
Monday, December 08 2008, 4:50PM
“Geeze! The "people in charge" can't win can they?! On this thread they've been slated for providing too much parking, and not enough! No wonder there is opposition to every development in the City centre, and the decisions on everything gets criticised!!”
by dean, bath
Monday, December 08 2008, 12:49PM
“So you have to go to the new shops and then try and struggle home with lots of bags on the terrible bus service. when will the people "In Charge" ever understand that most people dont want to be ripped off by the bus companies but want the convienience and comfort of their own cars. And in Bath there is practically nowhere to park. I can see that this lack of parking may make this shopping centre less than successful.”
by dean, bath
Monday, December 08 2008, 12:44PM
“I hope there is going to be another pound shop there. Not just the usual expensive designer rubbish”
by Sam, Bath
Saturday, December 06 2008, 6:55PM
“kirstie, BATH - enjoy your traffic jam! I'll give you a wave as I walk past you!”
by kirstie, BATH
Saturday, December 06 2008, 1:27PM
“More spaces for parking in bath is a bloody good idea if u ask me the bus service is rubbish and costs a bomb especially for those with big families but maybe they should think about putting shops in that doesnt cost a bomb for clothing and accessories etc like peacocks, wilkinsons etc !!”
by rogerh, Bath
Saturday, December 06 2008, 11:46AM
“And this was the reaction of one of the councillors who approved the original scheme:
"As one of the councillors on the Planning Committtee which eventually approved the Southgate application I am appalled by the increase in parking. Some of my colleagues and I argued long and hard for this 1980s car-based scheme to be brought into the 21st Century by a reduction in the parking, increase in the housing and getting a transport interchange. We were only partially successful in these efforts, but with a transport interchange right there in the centre of a World Heritage site the last thing that is needed is an expansion to the car parking provision.
Since the application was approved the awareness of climate change and the need to decrease emissions has increased. It is clear to anyone in this city that traffic and congestion is getting even worse, so I consider giving permission for more parking spaces to be a misjudgement. I would urge that this matter is brought to the Development Control Committee.
”
by rogerh, Bath
Saturday, December 06 2008, 11:39AM
“Proposed development of the proposed basement car park comprising part of the Southgate scheme with minor amendments and creation of 152 additional car parking spaces.
07/02162/FUL, 17 Jul 2007
Officer Assessment:
This car park extension is at first sight contrary to Policies which seek to restrict city centre parking in favour of the provision of Park and Ride. However, because of the loss of Ham Gardens car park (and in the short term the non-delivery of the Lambridge Park and Ride and the temporary use of part of Avon Street Car Park as a bus station) the approved Southgate scheme is extremely under-provided in parking terms. The capacity of the basement car park as already approved was constrained by anticipated archaeological structures which have subsequently been shown to have been incorrectly mapped. As a result, there is a very short window of opportunity for the car park extension to be incorporated into the development now under way on site, and (now that the EA has confirmed that it is happy with the proposed flood protection works) no technical objections to the extension. It is an opportunity that is too good to miss. A contribution of £45K towards off-site traffic management has been agreed.
Possibly the receipt of £45,000 was an opportunity too good to miss.
”
by rogerh, Bath
Saturday, December 06 2008, 11:23AM
“During the planning stage councillors forced the developers to reduce the parking provision from over a thousand spaces to 724, arguing that with the ready availability of pubic transport car use should be discouraged. Last year, unnoticed by most people, the developers applied to increase the number to 860. This was approved by Geof Webber under delegated powers without reference to the planning committee.”
by Gary, Bath
Saturday, December 06 2008, 10:56AM
“Sam. I agree in essence with the principle that a reduction in parking reduces the potential to travel into the city by car. However, my point is that there will be less parking in the centre post-development, than before, given the loss of Ham Gardens and railway parking.”