Bath City Farm Education Building
Our plans and your chance to help shape them
Why do we need a new building?
Bath City Farm was set up by local people, for local people. Over more than 30 years, the Farm has transformed 37 acres of disused land into a thriving green space in Twerton and Whiteway. Today, it is a free-to-access visitor destination and a community charity and social enterprise, with animals, wildlife habitats, nature trails, a café, and spaces for growing, cooking and crafts. The Farm welcomes around 70,000 visitors each year and supports more than 800 people through its community provision.
Our outdoor spaces are central to what makes Bath City Farm special, but good learning also needs somewhere warm, accessible and practical to gather, particularly in wet or cold weather. The new Farm Education Building will give us the indoor space we currently lack, to bring people together for learning, practical activities and community events all year round.
What will happen in the building?
The building is intended to be much more than a traditional classroom. It will be a flexible, welcoming place where children, families, and the wider community can learn, make things, meet and spend time close to nature. The building will support educational workshops and practical learning sessions for different ages and groups, including the Farm’s Alternative Provision programme and school visits. It will also provide a welcoming space to support community events, functions and a rich programme of public workshops.
To achieve this the building will comprise of:
- A flexible main space that can be used for community learning, events and functions for up to 60ppl.
- A kitchen that can open into the main space, offering a practical space for cookery sessions, shared meals and event catering.
- A smaller room for study, meetings or quieter activities, with a nature and farming library.
- A connected outdoor deck offering opportunities to learn and work outside with views across Bath.
- Storage and accessible toilets, with the potential for composting WCs.
Although the building has been designed around the Farm’s education and community work, it is intended to be useful to the wider community too. Local community organisations, schools and community groups will be able to use the space. There will also be opportunities for art, film and literature events, team-building workshops and community functions. This wider use will help connect Twerton and Whiteway with the rest of Bath, while generating income that can be put back into the Farm’s charitable work.
Most importantly, we want the building to strengthen what people already value about Bath City Farm: a place to connect with nature, learn practical skills, spend time together and feel welcome.
Where will it be?
The proposed site is within Bath City Farm, in a quieter part of the Farm. Four possible locations were considered. The chosen option was felt to offer the best opportunity for a destination building in a quiet, natural setting, with good views across Bath and strong connections to existing paths.
The building will be single-storey and low in profile, following the natural contours of the site. The intention is for it to feel like part of the landscape rather than a building placed on top of it, while keeping the wider views across the Farm as open as possible.
What will it look and feel like?
We want the building to feel warm, calm, curious and inviting. The intention is to create a soothing environment that works for different ages, needs and ways of learning. Natural materials and an organic shape will help it sit comfortably within the Farm. Inside, there will be places for groups to work together as well as smaller, quieter corners, including window seats.
A large skylight will bring natural light into the main space. A planted roof will continue down the entrance wall, creating a green welcome and helping the building blend into the hillside. A deck on the northern side will provide a place to step outside and enjoy the landscape connecting the Farm to the city of Bath.
Nature and sustainability
Sustainability is central to the proposal. The building is designed to work with the Farm’s landscape and to be an educational example in its own right.
- A habitat wall will provide spaces for insects and small wildlife, while giving visitors a chance to observe nature close up.
- A planted roof and green entrance wall will add planting, support biodiversity, help with insulation and absorb some rainwater.
- Natural daylight and ventilation will help reduce the need for artificial lighting and energy use.
- Natural and locally sourced materials are being considered to reduce the building’s embodied carbon and reflect the Farm’s character.
- Rainwater management, with the potential for rainwater harvesting, will be considered as part of the design.
What happens next?
This proposal is still being developed. We would particularly like to hear what you think about the building’s design, how it could be used, and how it could best serve the Farm and the local community.
Please let us know your thoughts by filling in this survey.
Once the consultation has closed the team will review feedback and a full planning application will be submitted in due course.
Summary
| Purpose | Education, practical learning, meetings and community activities |
|---|---|
| Scale | Single-storey building; about 247 m² of floor area, excluding the deck |
| Setting | A quieter part of Bath City Farm, integrated into the landscape |
| Main spaces | Flexible learning/meeting space to accommodate up to 60ppl, kitchen/teaching space, quiet room, foyer, storage and toilets |
| Outdoor connection | Deck, outdoor learning opportunities, planted roof and strong views into the landscape |
| Nature | Insect habitat wall, green roof and external planting |
| Public consultation | Event on 1 October, 6–8pm, Bath City Farm Café, with ongoing consultation 3 weeks thereafter |
About this information: This webpage copy has been prepared in October 2026. The proposal may change as the design develops and in response to planning advice and community feedback.