City & Country has completed the acquisition of the 5.3-acre Bath Press development site for £13.8million.
Located in the city of Bath, the new land purchase will expand City & Country’s projects across the South West region, with their Bristol developments at Factory No.1 and The General in close proximity, the former prison sites at Dorchester and Gloucester and Burderop Park near Swindon.
The development will be new-build residential led but the historic façade of the Bath Press site will be retained, with City & Country committed to retaining the site’s heritage credentials. The scheme will comprise a mix of new-build apartments, houses and office space. The site already benefits from planning permission, with City & Country due to commence work as soon as possible.
Speaking of the sale, Simon Marner, City & Country’s land & property director, said: “This is a significant acquisition for the business, with the site due to deliver more than 250 units in addition to the commercial space. Bath is a thriving city, known for its status as a World Heritage Site and a centre of international cultural significance and is an excellent fit for our brand.”
“We have ambitious plans for the next five years as a business, as we continue expanding our new build arm and restoring heritage buildings to provide beautiful, modern high-specification homes. As with all our new build homes, we pride ourselves in the quality of our design and the creation of community. Placemaking is at the heart of everything we do, and this site will be no different.”
Dating back to the 1890s, the original Bath Press was home to the Pitman Press printing works. The site became vacant in 2007 and was subsequently demolished between September 2017 and November 2018 to allow for redevelopment.
The site benefits from a wide range of local amenities, including museums, galleries, theatres, and sports facilities in the only UK city to be designated a World Heritage Site, with residents of the upcoming development within walking distance of Bath Western Riverside. The city centre is accessible via the river footpath and the Bath Spa railway station is located just over one mile from the site, with regular connections to Bristol and London.
