Permission for 22 flats in Bridgwater
At the Sedgemoor District Council Committee meeting on Tuesday 29th March 2016 planning permission was granted for the redevelopment of the Hope Inn on Taunton Road to provide 22 apartments to replace the derelict vacant Public House. The permission has been obtained following a redesign to promote a traditional new building utilising steep gables and stone surround cills and a design to replicate the feature corner of the existing pub to be demolished. Previously an application for a new modern design was refused by Committee and dismissed at Appeal. CSJ Planning co-ordinated the planning work and whilst the appeal was dismissed on design grounds, the appeal established significantly that there was no issue with transportation and over development and other objections. The redesign was fully supported by the Council Officer’s and permission was granted 10 votes to 3 at the Committee meeting. One of the crucial factors was CSJ’s advice in relation to producing watercolor images of the proposed development as opposed to the technical line elevation drawings as this gave a far better interpretation of the quality of scheme that will now come forward on this site. The permission is a resolution to grant subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement to provide for 15% policy compliant affordable housing and for additional conditions regarding ecological mitigation following demolition of the existing building. The successful resolution to grant is another scheme within Bridgwater that CSJ has delivered in association with Ian Herd Associates on behalf of Land Promotions. Whilst the loss of local Public Houses sometimes is an emotive issue, clearly redevelopment in this case creates a sustainable development providing much needed housing in an urban area and redeveloping a current eyesore site with a modern new building but of a traditional design.
