SENT 18 NOVEMBER
With thanks to Liz Drake for recording our views.
Planning Application W2010/ 0920 2 Church Street, Warwick.
Dear Mr Wallsgrove
While not objecting in principle to the conversion of the upper floors of this fine listed building to five self contained flats we would ask that the Conservation Architect assess whether the walls proposed for demolition are original.
The Design and Access Statement on the website for this development is for the Jug and Jester in Leamington, we are therefore unable to ascertain what proposals have been made for the collection and storage of household waste from the flats; it is not clear from the drawings provided whether there is access or space at the rear of the building.
There appears to be no statement in the application addressing the problem of parking of the numbers cars associated with the development in an area which has already very limited parking capacity.
We would ask the Council to refuse planning permission for this development until these points are satisfactorily addressed.
Planning Application W2010/ 1333CA 12 Emscote Road, Warwick.
Dear Ms Butler
While not objecting to the demolition of the fence there are no details of works to the trees and no record on the Council’s website of an application to carry out such works; this is a requirement for tree work carried out in a Conservation Area.
Planning Application W2010/ 1371 One Stop Shop, 33 St Johns, Warwick.
Dear Mr Smith
We wish to reiterate our objection to the signage at these premises W2010/0870 of 29 July 2010 (pasted below) which was refused planning permission. We would question why this new application was validated by the council when it seeks to retain what has already been refused. The applicants have submitted a drawing showing a narrower internally illuminated fascia but it is not the same as that which they wish to retain. As we have previously said the existing signs are too large and out of scale with the proportions of the shop front and seriously detracts from the setting of St John’s House opposite which is a Grade II* listed building and one of the finest in the town.
The streetscape is protected from intrusive inappropriate shop fronts at policy TCP13 in the Local Plan and does not permit the spreading of a single shop front spreading over two or more frontages. The Conservation Area is protected by Policy DAP8 where development is expected to respect the Conservation Areas and important views both in and out of them.
We ask the Council to refuse planning permission for this application and again suggest that the applicant should work with the Council Planning Officers to produce a less intrusive scheme for these premises located as they are, at the very entrance to the historic town of Warwick.
Planning Application W2010/ 0870. One Stop Store, 33 St Johns, Warwick. 29 JULY 2010
Dear Mr Smith
We wish to object this planning application (retrospective) for an illuminated fascia and for non illuminated window graphics at 33 St Johns. The signage is too large and garish, it is out of keeping with other signage in the row of shops and seriously detracts from the setting of St John’s House opposite which is a Grade II* listed building and one of the finest in the town. The Local Plan provides protection from adverse effects of development on the setting of listed buildings at policy DAP4.
The Local Plan also provides protection for the setting of Conservation Areas and the views both in and out of them at policy DAP8, the new signage has a deleterious impact on two Conservation Areas in the close vicinity, Coten End/Emscote Road and St Nicholas Church Street/Gerard Street/Smith Street. The internally illuminated centre piece is particularly objectionable and graphics applied to windows is contrary to the Council’s policies.
We would point out that the photo montage submitted with the application is inaccurate in that the fascia is set higher up the wall than shown and the lighting strip is much more intrusive than the montage suggests.
We ask the Council to refuse planning permission for this application and suggest that the applicant should work with the Council Planning Officers to produce a less intrusive scheme for these premises located as they are, at the very entrance to the historic town of Warwick.
SENT 20 NOVEMBER
Planning Application W2010/ 1135 Art and Wine, 8 High Street, Warwick.
Dear Mr Wallsgrove
We wish to object to the proposed change of use of these premises from A1 retail use to mixed use of A1 and A3 (Restaurant, snack bars and cafes) and A4 (Drinking Establishments), The premises are embedded in a closely knit commercial and residential area and we are concerned that the proposals will have an adverse impact on the effective implementation of Planning Policy TCP11 Protecting Residential Uses on Upper Floors. This policy, seeks the continued occupation of flats above ground floor premises, recognises the value of such residential provision within the town centre and encourages it on the basis of creating a diverse and active town centre.
We are also concerned that the proposed changes will lead to the need for fume extraction and air conditioning and the use of the rear outdoor area for eating, drinking and smoking, such activities lead to smells and noise which would have an unacceptably adverse impact of the amenity of nearby users/ residents contrary to Planning Policy DP2 of the Local Plan.
Notwithstanding the above we request that the application is determined in line with planning policy on primary retail frontages. Policy TCP2 of the Local Plan seeks to resist the change of use of general shops (A1) to uses outside Use Class A.
We would ask the Council to refuse planning permission for this application.
Planning Application W2010/1161 23-25 St Johns, Warwick.
Dear Mr Wallsgrove
We wish to object to the proposed change of use of these two retail units from A1 to A3 Restaurant and A5 Hot Food Take Away, we are concerned that the loss of these retail facilities will undermine the ability of the St Johns to function as retail centre to the detriment of the surrounding residential area.
Provision of a further unit (greater in size than the adjacent A3/A5 uses) will significantly add to the already often chaotic and dangerous highway safety problems which occur during most evenings at the St Johns shopping centre and will result in increased hazardous conditions for pedestrians arising from traffic driving on the pavement and the parking of cars in illegal and unsafe ‘spaces’. It should be noted that this area is on the important pedestrian route between the railway station and the town.
We would ask the Council to refuse planning permission for this application.
It is suggested that regulated parking control should be increased to this area until 8pm.
Planning Application W2010/ 1412 Post Office Buildings, Old Square, Warwick.
Dear Sir
While we welcome these proposals for putting the old Post office to good use and support the planning application for flats we are concerned by the ‘piecemeal’ nature of the redevelopment. It is our view that not dealing with the building as a whole could jeopardise its potential future uses and would prefer to see an overall plan. The plans of the ground floor are too sketchy and uninformative.
Although we are not clear over the status of this application we would take the opportunity to comment on the detailing of the frontage. The proposals for the additional shop front need to be submitted in more detail, the design should be in a Victorian style, to reflect the main building, with the height of the stall riser increased. There are too many hanging signs, they are too big and do not meet the criteria of Local Plan policy TCP 13 which deals with shopfronts and advertising. We are concerned that the frontage will become too cluttered ( the wall lamps should be removed) detracting from the single period architecture of the building.
Unfortunately this building is not listed; it should, in our opinion, be placed on the local list of buildings of special architectural and historic value as a matter of urgency.
We would ask the Council not to grant planning permission for this application in its present form.
Planning Application W2010/ 1348LB/1425 The Kings High School, Chapel Lane, Warwick.
Dear Mr Walsgrove
We would reiterate our comments on application PA 2010/0690/0691LB of 5 October 2010:-
“While we have no planning objections to the proposals to increase the capacity of the dining hall, the development may give rise to an issue of overlooking to and from the neighbours who may wish to take up the matter. It is apparent that by increasing the dining capacity the total school numbers could be increased, an implication which should be considered by the planning officers”.
We would like to add however that if an increase in pupil numbers is envisaged, and by implication a possible increase in traffic congestion generated by the school, it is considered that a revised Green Travel Plan should be submitted.
