Planning - Trust Annual Report 1977
The 1974 Annual Report referred to the re-organisation of Local Government and the setting up of subcommittees, by Trust members, to examine planning applications, in Winchester. The reports of 1975 and 1976 underlined the work of these three committees dealing broadly with commercial, residential and amenity matters and 1977 shows no lessening of the pressure, on the City Planning department and the voluntary work by members of the Trust. Space does not permit of detailed references though mention should be made of special interviews arranged with the help of the City Planning department for Trust members to meet the architects for new shops and offices in Jewry and High Streets. (Building operations having started in August this year).
The other proposal for new offices of Conder International in Romsey Road was dealt with similarly and the Trust appreciates the trouble taken by architects to explain their schemes.
The Trust sponsored a scheme, prepared by the Winchester Consumer Group, for the development of the St. John Street area. This document prepared in 1976 was followed by the official City scheme this year and discussed at a public meeting in the Church Rooms in which Trust members took part.
This idea of informing the public on planning matters is one in which the Trust is actively concerned and to foster interest an agreement has been reached whereby drawings of future buildings in Winchester will form a changing exhibition in the Jewry Street library.
The Trust has been concerned over the proposals for a new reservoir at Romsey Road, and as a result of our submissions to the Planning Authority, improvements have been made in landscaping and other matters affecting the environment.
Your committee also had an opportunity of commenting on the official proposals by the city for the control of signs and fascias in the High Street.
Towards the end of 1976 the Trust supported the Hampshire Branch of the RIBA with their publication of illustrated town trails of Winchester. In September 1977 members of the Trust were invited to accompany the three architects responsible for the guided walks which included the central core of the town, St. Cross, and the Kingsgate area.