One year on from the Arts Conference she convened at Bath Spa
University, Bath MP has written to the local arts community to encourage
them to respond to Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Local
Plan Review. The deadline for input is 18th February.
said:
“You might wonder what a planning review has to do with art and
culture, but this is an opportunity to embed public art and
spaces for public art into the planning process.
“This time last year we met up at Bath Spa University’s amazing
Locksbrook arts campus in the refurbished Herman Miller building.
We mapped out a year of engagement and ideas sharing. Instead
we’ve had the pandemic and the decimation of the sector. It is
time to revive those aspirations for our city and its cultural
contribution, and the planning process can help.
“I believe it is vital that as we plan for economic and cultural
recovery, we do so with our creativity front and centre. To that
end, I have written to all the artists and cultural leaders we
have been in contact with to alert them to the Partial Review of
the Local Plan that Bath & North East Somerset Council is
currently undertaking.
“Every large development brings with it the exciting
possibilities of open space, or public space, as well as a
financial contribution to the local community, or the city more
widely. As part of this ‘planning gain’, we should be
commissioning pieces of public art. In order for this to happen,
we have to get suitable wording added into the Local Plan,
regarding the use of monies received as part of the Community
Infrastructure Levy or similar.
“I urge the members of Bath’s creative community to seize this
opportunity to reignite our creative sector as our economy
recovers from the pandemic. You can send your support and your
ideas to local_plan2@bathnes.gov.uk or go to the online
submission at
https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/local-plan-partial-update-options-consultation.
The deadline for submissions is 18th February.”
