With the agreement of the developer it was decided to defer a decision until 24th November after a site meeting. It was agreed specific points only (overlooking mainly) would be discussed after consultation with the Council's Solicitor. All members would get a copy of the Inspectors decision.
Strange that the Planning Board should have voted so many times before on this site, when so many Board Members claimed not to know the area.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
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4 comments:
I just came from the meeting and must say that I thought local residents have been badly let down by the Authorities:
1) By the Planning Officer for encouraging and supporting the developer to propose such a huge building.
2) By the Senior Planning Officers for interpreting the Inspectors Decision in a blinkered fashion just to support the Case Officer.
3) By the Conservation Officer for not pushing for the existing building to be listed.
4) By the Highways Authority for not accepting jurisdiction over Taunton Road.
5) By whoever excluded Sea Court from the conservation area in the first place.
I too feel totally let down by the Planning Officers, particularly by not quoting the vital paragraph of the Inspector's decision or the relevant sections of the two Local Plans - QL36 and GI and thereby giving the Board reasons whereby they could have rejected the application. The Planning Officer's report and the Developer's Solicitors letter could almost have been written by the same hand.
Should a magistrate look at this?
From Echo (online) Friday 28th
Victorian site's future is left in the balance
by Emily Twinch
Victorian villa: Sea Court in Taunton Road, Swanage
A DECISION long-awaited by residents wanting to protect the Victorian character of Swanage has been left hanging in the balance.
For five years neighbours near the historic Sea Court house have been fighting proposals for the site.
Yesterday councillors delayed their decision on the latest plans for the 19th-century home in Taunton Road until November 24 to allow them a site visit.
Resident Elizabeth Smith, from Park Road, said after the meeting: "We would rather have had an outright refusal but this is better than it going ahead."
Neighbour Tara Randall, also from Park Road, said: "It's been going on for five years. We want a decision as soon as possible because it's affecting the quality of our lives."
The council has so far received 43 objections to the proposals from Studland Properties Ltd for the historic house.
Sea Court, built in 1894, is now empty but was once the home of the artist George William Joy.
Campaigners, including the Sea Court Action Group and Swanage Buildings Preservation Group, do not object to the Victorian villa being converted into five flats.
They object to the additional block of eight self-contained flats in the plans which they say will overlook into their houses and gardens.
Over the past five years at least four applications have been refused then turned down by a planning inspector on appeal. Similar plans to the latest were rejected this year but developer Paul Weston believes all issues raised by the inspector have now been addressed.
Speaking on his behalf at the meeting, John Edmond from Marrons Solicitors, said: "My client has a genuine desire to see the right proposal for this site. The focus is dedicated to delivering a traditional sea villa design."
The residents say they want him to put in plans without the extra block or with one half the size and get on with restoring Sea Court as soon as possible.
John Wootton, from the Swanage Building Preservation Group, said: "Ideally we would like it listed. Certainly we want it restored as soon as possible. These buildings get dilapidated if they are not restored."
First published: October 28
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