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Agenda item

23/00554/FUL- 39 Victoria Road, Cirencester

Description

Demolition of workshop, erection of 2.5 storey side extension and associated change of use of land from use class E to C3 at 39 Victoria Road Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1ES

 

Ward Member

Councillor Joe Harris

 

Case Officer

Amy Hill

 

Recommendation

REFUSE

 

Minutes:

The application was for the demolition of a workshop, erection of 2.5 storey side extension and associated change of use of land from use class E to C3 at 39 Victoria Road Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1ES.

 

The Officer recommendation was to refuse the application.

 

The Case Officer introduced the item.

 

The Ward Member, Councillor Joe Harris addressed the Committee.

 

Member questions

 

Members asked why the Conservation Officer had objected to the application. The Conservation Officer stated this was due to the impact on the South Cirencester Conservation Area, in which the site was located. The Conservation Officer stated that the mixed uses of the area that the site was located in were explicitly stated in the Conservation Area’s appraisal, and that while changes should be allowed to structures within it, the appearance of the mixed uses should be maintained.

 

Therefore, in the view of the Conservation Officer’s view, whilst the design of the extension in and of itself was not considered inappropriate, the loss of the shop part of the building, would not be considered to preserve or enhance the special character and appearance of the Conservation Area or retain positive features.

 

The Conservation Officer and Case Officer suggested that an application which retained the shop front appearance bit still maintained the use would be judged more favourably in conservation terms.

 

Members mentioned that Victoria Road had several examples of conversion from retail to residential, giving the example of nearby garages. Members made reference to the economic pressures that businesses can often face.

 

The Conservation Officer stated that the example of the garages was a more contemporary example, and did not have the same historical significance as the workshop.

 

Members stated that the Officer recommendation was to refuse the application, but asked whether the application could be improved to be made acceptable in the Officer’s view.

 

The Case Officer stated that there was no objection to the design of the extension, but that the demolition of the workshop would lead to loss of the structure, which amending the design would not address.

 

Members asked to see the online street view, which the Case Officer presented.

 

Members also asked what, in the Case Officer’s view would be an acceptable alternative use. The Case Officer suggested that an application that changed the use but retained the appearance of the shop front would maintain the visual history of the property and be more likely to be acceptable.

 

Members comments

 

Members stated that the extension was subservient to the main building and generally visually acceptable.

 

Councillor David Fowles proposed accepting the application. The reasons for permitting the application were that members did not consider the removal of the shop section to harm the significance of the Non-Designated Heritage Asset, and to harm the character and appearance of the Cirencester South Conservation Area.

 

Councillor Joe Harris seconded the proposal.

 

Some Members stated that they would have preferred an application that retained the historic shop front appearance.

 

RESOLVED: To PERMIT the application.

 

Voting Record- 5 for  3 against, 1 abstentions

 

For

Against

Abstentions

Ian Watson

Andrew Maclean

Ray Brassington

Joe Harris

Michael Vann

 

Patrick Coleman

Mike Evemy

 

Daryl Corps

 

 

David Fowles

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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