DEVELOPMENT CONTROL - TrustNews Spring 1995
The past four months have been a period of interesting contrasts, in both the size of the developments that have been seen and the time that passes from their conception until their actual fruition. It often happens that a scheme is given approval but never gets built because the site is sold on and the new owner wants a completely different kind of development.
The Peninsula Barracks development is a good example of this. It seems to have been with us for a very long time: the discussion and gestation of the first, high-density scheme took half a decade, followed (thankfully) by its demise and a period of inactivity because of recession. The subsequent low-density scheme which aims to conserve the existing buildings was initiated about a year ago and has been under discussion with the Local Authorities since last October, when the first design applications for both the upper and lower barracks were presented for consideration. While we greet the overall concept with considerable enthusiasm and the conversion of the existing buildings has our general support, the Trust is not alone in having considerable misgivings about the designs proposed for the open spaces of both the upper and lower barracks, because inadequate thought seems to have been given to how these will be used. The upper parade ground will have to serve two purposes: as the only "garden" that many occupants of the surrounding refurbished buildings will have, and as a public open space for visitors to Winchester and its citizens. The open areas on the lower barracks will also have conflicting claims on their use, perhaps less obvious because of their smaller size, but no less demanding. The Trust feels that the use of these spaces must to a large extent dictate how they are designed, and it considers that this aspect has not been adequately researched or taken into account. We have therefore urged those concerned to research how, and by whom, these spaces will be used, and to incorporate the results in a brief for the designers of the development. The design of the new houses proposed for the southern end of the site also seems to give too little thought to civic design; as Ruskin wrote: "The measure of any great civilisation is its cities and a measure of a city's greatness is to be found in the quality of its public places, its parks and its squares."
The north west corner of the site and its entrance from Romsey Road is likely to take even longer, as the original student accommodation proposed for this position has been dropped and the design of the whole area put on 'hold' until a new use is found for it. This postponement is not altogether desirable, because the development and landscaping here will be of considerable visual importance since this is the main entrance into the Upper Barracks.
A decision is likely to be more quickly reached over the Garrison Church on the lower barracks, which Bloom Theatres propose to convert into a cinema. The Trust welcomes this because of the lack of an alternative use for this Listed Building and because Winchester has no other permanent cinema. We do, however, hope that the usual garish accoutrements of cinema-use will be more restrained than usual here, both because of the building's architecture and original use, and because of its position in the Conservation Area.
West Downs School is a similar case. Having been empty and on the market for several years, a scheme to convert the listed buildings was proposed and withdrawn in the summer of 1991. This was followed at the end of 1992 with a more ambitious proposal: to convert the existing buildings for residential and community use and to build 70 new dwellings in the grounds, together with the access roads and parking spaces that these would need. Members may remember that the Trust liked neither the design nor the layout of this scheme, and regretted that after lengthy discussions with the planners an amended version of the scheme was granted approval in September 1993. Once again recession came to the aid of Winchester and, apart from providing parking space for the hospital while their multi-storey carpark was built, the site remained unchanged until the end of last year. Then King Alfred's College acquired West Downs School and its grounds, and in October 1994 a completely different use was proposed: to turn the site into a student campus. At the beginning of January consent was given for the scheme and by February work on the site had begun - and after a period of years in limbo, the eventual fate of a large area of Winchester was decided within the space of three months.
Rescued trees in St George's Street
Speed seems to be the watchword of our establishments of higher education at present. The Winchester School of Art has moved equally swiftly to gain permission to build student accommodation in the railway cutting at Winnall, as well as a library, students' union and teaching accommodation in Park Avenue; both schemes were welcomed by the Trust.
A similar speed of action over the alterations proposed for the Casson Block on St George's Street was greeted less warmly by the Trust. While enthusiastically supporting the proposed use of the building by the Winchester District Community Services, the Trust had great misgivings over the way it was proposed this would be achieved. St George's Street is possibly one of the least hospitable roads of Winchester's central area because of its style of architecture and because it is the only east-west route for traffic through the City. One of its major beneficial features (some might say its only one!) is the row of trees in front of the Casson block. These trees serve two functions - to alleviate the domination of the traffic in this part of the city and to shield those working in the Casson Block from the noise and fumes of the vehicles passing along the street. While the style of the Casson Block may not be to everybody's taste, it is a good example of its period (especially if its crude replacement windows were restored to their original design) that is likely to be appreciated by later generations, who could well ask why the alterations proposed for the building were allowed to take place. The Trust objected to the proposed alterations to the front of the building, and to the removal or possible demise of the trees in particular. We contacted the relevant national bodies, and it is good for the future of Winchester that heed was taken of the various adverse comments that were made: the original proposals for this change of use have now been withdrawn and access from the rear of the Casson block now seems to be the order of the day.
Development of the site on the north side of the Petersfield Road has also been under consideration for what seems a very long time: in 1989 two schemes, one for 17 houses and the other for 12, were both refused. In the first half of 1991 permission was given for one house to be built on the site, and at the end of the same year a high-density scheme accommodated in three large blocks (one of mock-Tudor design!) was proposed, to which we objected; this was followed by a scheme of slightly less density to which we objected and which was also refused. Two years later the owners of the site put forward a scheme for six detached houses with integral garages, and although we had some reservations, we thought this scheme was acceptable because the siting and design of the houses seemed sympathetic to the topography. It was not however acceptable to the Local Authority, who refused the scheme. This site has now been sold on, and the current proposal is for a Victorian pastiche of tall houses that pay little heed to the very steep slope of the site and are likely to dominate the local environment and be very obtrusive when seen from across the valley.
Another more central area that has also been figuring with some regularity in the application lists is the site of St Thomas's School on the corner of Crowder Terrace and Mews Lane. In July 1993 it was proposed that the Victorian school building should be converted and a new terrace overlooking Crowder Terrace be built to provide eight dwelling units. The school conversion was an imaginative scheme, but we felt that the density was too high since it required the new building to be too large and bulky for that part of the Conservation Area. This application was withdrawn at the end of the year, and in January a scheme with a lower and less intrusive building on Crowder Terrace was put forward; approval was granted in March 1994 .... and the site was sold on. A completely different, and very much less satisfactory scheme, was put forward in November; this involved removing the centre section of the school and building a terrace of 'mews cottages' of suburban style and a bulk that was as tall and massive as the original first scheme that had been withdrawn. We objected to the mutilation of the school and to the design and style of the new building, which we felt would be uncharacteristic of the area and damaging to the environment of the nearby listed St James Terrace. A slightly amended scheme did not cause us to change our opinion, but for some reason the Planning Officers thought it acceptable and recommended its approval to the Planning Committee. We expressed our concern to some of the Councillors on the committee and are happy to report that permission for the scheme was not granted.
All too often decisions are reached under considerable pressure and with what seems almost indecent haste, and it is therefore not surprising that such decisions are sometimes less wise than one would wish. It is possible that this may prove to be the case with the latest changes at the Brooks Shopping Centre, where the City Council backed away from confrontation when faced with aggressive tactics by British Home Stores. The store wants to get started on its alterations without delay, and it also wants to promote its corporate image and publicise its presence in the town. This entails having many internally illuminated signs, something that the City's policy does not allow in the central Conservation Area for premises other than pubs and restaurants. When the store flexed its commercial muscle and suggested that if things were made difficult it might go elsewhere, our elected representatives gave way, feeling that Winchester needed BHS more than BHS needed Winchester. It is perhaps open to question whether such extreme action would have been taken by BHS over a few signs, but there is no doubt that a coach and horses have now been driven through the City's long-held policy for the central area as a result of allowing this application.
It is to be hoped that a more resolute stance will be taken if similar pressures arise during consideration of the Peninsula Barracks development. Worrying signs of a rushed schedule are becoming apparent as the current decision-making deadline approaches - the aim is to reach some kind of decision on the scheme at the Planning Committee meeting in March. It is less than six months since the first conservation scheme application was presented, and this is an enormous and complex development that is crucial to Winchester. It is one thing to rush through a decision on some signs, even if this does set an undesirable precedent; it is quite another to decide in haste when a unique site, 16 acres in the centre of the city, is being considered. Peninsula Barracks has been waiting for quite a few years for something to happen on it; let us take all the months that are necessary to decide on the treatment that is best for both the barracks and Winchester, or else we could end up with an ill-considered scheme that we might regret at our leisure.