Development Control - TrustNews Dec 03
Much has happened since our September TrustNews, so, for those members who were on holiday or didn't read the local papers, here is a brief résumé of some of the decisions made on applications discussed previously.
Among those refused are developments on land behind 64 Quarry Road and at 8A St Thomas Street and Middle Brook Street, and a scheme to re-clad the Romsey Road Police Headquarters in glass.
Permitted schemes include a new Winchester College boarding house at Antrim House, St Cross Road, and an amended scheme for 13 Cathedral View, both of which we found acceptable.
There have also been amended schemes for developments to which we had previously objected. The new outline proposals for King Alfred's College extension for dining & student facilities appeared to have taken notice of our criticisms and therefore seemed acceptable, although we were still concerned whether the large Chestnut trees at the north end of the road boundary would survive the drastic changes of level that were proposed.
We did however continue to object to two amended schemes. The development proposed for land between Sparkford & Airlie Roads had seemed too high a density to be characteristic of the area. The reduced density of the new scheme - about half that of the original, in terms of both dwellings per hectare (dph) and bed-spaces provided - met this criticism, but we were most unhappy with the lack of subtlety and cohesion of the style of architecture and the amount of land that would be given over to hard landscaping. We had also found the design of the earlier scheme for a high-density scheme on the site occupied by Northgate House & Documation House on Staple Gardens inappropriate for the area. The amended scheme reduced the density from 74 to 69 dph (though the bed-spaces increased by one to 119), and had responded to our comments about the roofline, which had seemed too flat for the somewhat spiky character of the Winchester roofscape. However, the style of the proposed large blocks still seemed more commercial than residential, and as the design approach we considered inappropriate for the area had been retained we felt unable to withdraw our original objection.
Thankfully only one large new development has been proposed during the past three months. This was for 53 units in the gardens to the rear of Nos 8-22 Chilbolton Avenue, where 137 new bed-spaces would be provided. The design of the proposed replacement for the house providing access onto the site was felt very inadequate for its position, and although the layout and contemporary style of the new development had seemed acceptable for this back-land area, following a site visit with the Planning Sub-Committee it became clear that the proposed height and siting would be very detrimental to residents of Greenhill Road. This application has been refused.
There has been an application by the Hartley House Montessori organisation to change The Pump House, Garnier Road, from the permitted use for offices to a nursery school. As no-one has apparently wanted to have an office here, we welcomed a use for this interesting building, but were worried about the consequences resulting from the extra traffic generated by parents delivering and collecting their children at the same time as commuters were using this 'rat-run' route, especially as it was not clear from the plans what provision had been made for dropping off the children. This proposal has now been withdrawn, so it is possible that changing circumstances (perhaps using the land of the present Recycling Centre, once this activity has been transferred to the new Bar End facility) might allow the building to be used for this commendable purpose.
Decisions are still awaited for some other interesting new schemes. While having no objection to a contemporary conversion of the meeting hall at 41A Brassey Road to a 3storey-3-bedroom house, the treatment proposed did not seem sympathetic to the character of the rhythmic features of this urban street. A scheme for the site of 19,20 & 20A Jewry Street made ingenious use of a very awkward site, and while it seemed the massing and roofscape would be a good addition to the area, it was felt that a simpler design approach would be more appropriate for a site next door to the Library, a Grade 11* Listed Building.
It is a sad reflection of life today that it necessary to install security cameras at Deanery Cottage, The Close, to overlook the Dean Garnier Garden, and of course the Trust has no objection to this. However, it does expect that an application giving details showing how they are to be installed should be provided. It is therefore sad to say that we have had to object to two applications for this proposed installation, both because of inadequate information. When a Grade 1 Listed Building is concerned, the Trust considers it is essential to know exactly where on the façade two sizeable cameras and their robust brackets are to be installed.