Fragrance Group gets green light for Bath Royal Mineral Water Hospital hotel

Plans to turn Bath’s former Royal Mineral Water Hospital into a luxury hotel were approved by Bath and North-East Somerset Council’s planning committee last week.

Fragrance UK – Bath, part of the Fragrance Group, hopes to turn the Grade II*-listed site into a 160-bedroom hotel with spa facilities, meeting spaces and outdoor green spaces. Fragrance said the development would result in an investment of approximately £35m into the local economy and create up to 120 new jobs.

The design team for the revised proposals was led by Bath-based Aaron Evans Architects. The original proposals were rejected last year due to concerns over the impact the development would have on the character of the building, as well as local residents and biodiversity in the area. Other hotel operators have also previously expressed concerns that the city’s market has become oversaturated.

Martin Rogers, on behalf of Fragrance UK – Bath, said: “We are delighted that members overwhelmingly approved our revised proposals to rejuvenate and sensitively extend Bath’s Royal Mineral Water Hospital, helping to secure the long-term future of this cherished heritage asset.

“Our revised proposals sought to respond positively to the concerns which were raised during the determination of the previous application for the site, representing a significant amount of engagement with officers, statutory consultees and other stakeholders.

“We look forward to commencing work as soon as possible and helping to support Bath’s post-Covid recovery through significant investment into the local community and creation of much-needed new jobs.”

Fragrance develops and own hotels throughout Singapore and Australia and entered the UK hotel market in early 2017, purchasing six trading hotels that still trade under management, four closed hotels that are being developed or are planned for development, and two buildings in Liverpool and Bath to redevelop. The group has begun construction on a £40m 185-bedroom, four-star hotel at the Grade II*-listed former office of Liverpool City Council.