Welcome to our Summer newsletter and to all new residents to our area. We hope that you have all been enjoying the wonderful weather this summer.
Committee members have been dealing with a number of matters including the implementation of the new Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) road changes, keeping an eye on the impact of construction traffic on our roads from a number of extensive house works, the development of a new local plan and the future of the Golf Course. Details are set out below.
On the 8 June 2026 Lucy Hodge, one of our local councillors, was able to meet with Committee members which allowed us to express our concerns directly to her on a number of matters, the prime area of concern being the increased health and safety risks for all pedestrians and road users from the implementation of the new LTN road scheme. We reiterated the concerns in the numerous written responses we had submitted to B&NES on behalf of residents. The issue of speeding around the newly linked Cavendish Road and Sion Hill (West) roads, having removed the old junction markings requiring vehicles to stop, is a prime example. It is disappointing that no measures have yet been taken by B&NES to address the matter of speeding, such as refreshing signage for the 20 mile an hour speed restriction. We hope that Lucy Hodge will act upon our concerns.
Following the successful event last November, we are arranging another lunchtime get together for residents on Sunday 29 November 2026 at the glorious dining room at Kingswood Prep school. The venue provided an ideal setting for the occasion. Membership funds permitting we will be supplying drinks and nibbles. We will keep you posted when the event has been finalised – but please pencil in 12pm on the 29 November 2026 date in your diaries now.
Please keep an eye on our website, which is in the process of being updated, for developments in our area. If you have any concerns, comments or questions or would like to contribute, please do get in touch.
We try to contact all new residents to the area, but if we have inadvertently missed you, please do contact us to join the association. All of our contact details are set out below.
LTN Road Changes in Lansdown area (including Winifred’s Lane closure)
In November 2025 the Lansdown area Experimental Traffic Regulatory Order (ETRO), including the closure of Winifred’s Lane came to an end (although remained physically in place until B&NES decision was announced). It was not until February 2026 that the decision to make the ETRO permanent was made by B&NES.
Opposing Members of the Council initiated a Call-In of the decision. The residents’ association was represented at the Call-In opposing the ETRO, which was attended by some members of the Committee.
Representatives of the Heart of Lansdown Conservation Group (HOLCG) also attended and spoke in opposition. It was felt that B&NES had not fully considered the health and safety issues of the displacement of traffic onto Sion Hill (West) and Sion Road from the road closures. The B&NES consultation related solely to Winifred’s Lane and not other routes nearby. Many residents felt that emails to B&NES had been ignored, that they were not listened to and that concerns were not addressed. The results of the B&NES consultation on the ETRO showed that a significant majority of residents opposed the ETRO. Please see the HOLCG website for details, link below. The Call-In was not successful, and a permanent Traffic Regulatory Order was published in April 2026.
HOLCG have since issued a legal challenge to the decision. More information may be found on www.heartoflansdown.co.uk.
Neighbourhood Watch
We have two Neighbourhood Watch groups, covering Summerhill Road (coordinator Zak Johnson, zakjohn40@hotmail.com) and Sion Hill, (coordinator Jenny Atherton, jenny.atherton@gmail.com). The aim of the groups is to make life safer by sharing knowledge of any criminal activity in our two roads, especially but not exclusively break-ins and damage to vehicles. Avon & Somerset Police and other reputable local sources also send coordinators regular information about local criminal activity including online scams, which if relevant to Sion Hill and Summerhill Road is passed on to members. If you would like to join Neighbourhood Watch, please contact either Zak or Jenny by email. Membership is free.
Planning Matters
We aim to track emerging and changing planning policy which may impact upon the neighbourhood and in this regard our current concern is the possible impact of emerging central government policy on the future redevelopment of the Bath Spa University Sion Hill Campus site – in particular the number of residential units that may be permitted in a future application for the residential redevelopment of the site. We anticipate that B&NES will issue the Draft Local Plan for further comment in Autumn 2026 and we will review this at the time with regards to the Sion Hill campus site.
Members of the Association may recall that in Spring 2024, we asked them to comment upon the Local Plan “Options” Document (for the proposed new Local Plan), that was out for consultation at the time. In particular we were lobbying for a reduction in the number of allocated residential units for the site from “around 100 2+ bedroom new dwellings”, as set out in the existing Local Plan to “no more than 60 2+ bedroom new dwellings” and to retain all other aspects of policy SB24 in the existing Local Plan as currently drawn.
We were neither successful or unsuccessful in this endeavour because soon afterwards there was a general election and the new government manifesto included a desire to substantially increase housebuilding, with directives being issued to local authorities to increase their allocations. We have yet to see if and how this might affect the Sion Hill site, but we will continue to monitor emerging draft planning policy from Bath and North East Somerset Council.
Concerns for us are any ongoing major planning applications within the area, whether for redevelopment or major extensions. We have recently commented on two applications but only in relation to the potential impact of the proposed works themselves on the continued use and enjoyment of the area by existing residents. Our concerns mainly relate to the need for an appropriate construction management plan for the removal of waste materials, delivery of new materials, use of service vehicles of a weight and size appropriate for our local road network, the general management of the site and site operatives – including the parking of site vehicles.
Local Events (noise disturbance, golf course) and other matters
The Committee understands that the contract for the golf course finished in March 2026 but was extended to the end of October 2026. B&NES are looking for a new contractor who will carry on with the current use. Officers in the Leisure Department are handling the process.
We have been concerned by the noise generated by certain events in Royal Victoria Park. (In the past, Pub in the Park, The Fairground, Oktoberfest). We are now in contact with the Council’s Events Team and as a result we are consulted about future local events. This also enabled our members to get an early option to purchase tickets for Robbie Williams concert, held on Royal Crescent Lawn.
In the last two years, the council withdrew, their original Code of Practice for noise, leaving us without guidance for nearly 2 years. There is a new Code of Practice which was published earlier this year. This now gives the organisers the responsibility to control the noise, and the onus on individuals or RAs to contact the organisers at the time of the event, should they wish to complain. Organisers are required to send out contact information to local residents before the event.
Treasurer Update
The Association’s bank account stands at £317.14 as at 31st July 2026 and has sufficient funds to cover currently anticipated expenditure to 31st December 2026.
Thank you to the 40 of the 84 households in our Association who have already responded to our call earlier in the year for a further £5 to cover anticipated expenditure in the foreseeable future. This is primarily to cover maintenance of our website and our annual membership of FoBRA – the Federation of Bath Residents’ Associations.
For those who have not yet responded to the call for funds, please send your £5 to:
Account Name: Sion Hill & Summerhill Road Residents Association
Sort Code: 23 – 05 – 80
Account Number: 55524351
If you would like to join our Association, please contact our Treasurer Ian Cutter directly at cutters2014@btinternet.com.
SH&SR RA Committee:
- Suzanne Chase – Chair
- Sally Parkes – Secretary
- Ian Cutter – Treasurer
- Michael Maude
- Joanne Johnson
- Jenny Atherton
- Patricia Ludlam
- Paul Crowsley