As regular and frequent visitors to Swanage from "oop north" , my wife and I are amazed and puzzled by the condition of the building just in front of the pier entrance. It used to be a cafe, but now it looks a complete eyesore.Who is responsible for the building?
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Posted by Anonymous to swanage view at 11/23/2005 03:34:43 PM
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3 comments:
Looks like a job for either Nick Storer (or Phil Wood) :-)
The conspiracy theory is that the powers that be are blocking the planning permission currently requested (now at appeal I believe) in order to obtain control of the site for themselves.
The existing building is structurally unsound. Previous tenants allowed rain to pour through the roof for decades. See the schedule of dilapidations at:
http://www.pierhead.plus.com/sod.htm
Plans were passed years ago to convert the existing building to flats above a pub. A full on license was even provisionally granted. That was when the Pier Head would have been the first site off the marina development. Hence that was never built. Recently a new design statement has been produced for the Pier Head and plans submitted, but refused. These are at appeal but no date is yet set for the hearing. See (huge file again I'm afraid):
http://www.pierhead.plus.com/webds.htm
The Planning Officer it not against any redevelopment, but is talking about a mainly single/two storey group of buildings. A few bungalows perhaps. The owners of the site are determined to produce a mixed residential and commercial scheme that will be of benefit and esteem to the Town. Meanwhile a new set of plans is being drawn up to try to overcome concerns expressed at Planning Committee, principally size and mass. It will be a contemporary building comprising apartments above shops/offices/café bar and restaurant. At two storeys with bedrooms in the roof space, it will be about the height of the existing central turret.
Given PDC find five storeys acceptable on Taunton Road you would think this would have been passed years ago. Keep informed at:
www.pierhead.plus.com
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