Extension plans for 14 new home plans at Eastbourne council …
Extension plans to create 14 new homes at an Eastbourne council office block has been approved following multiple previous refusals. (Photo: JPI)
The site is located on Upperton Road and currently consists of an office building. The application, which was refused[1] then resubmitted,[2] sought planning permission for a sixth storey upward extension to form 14 residential dwellings including the provision of storage, refuse storage, car parking and secure cycle parking.
St Marks, in Upperton Road, is the East Sussex County Council main office for children’s service for under 18s and their families. The existing building was built in the 1960s.
The central part of the sixth storey will be filled in and a seventh storey would have been created as part of the plans as proposed to the council.
In the approval report by planning officer Chloe Timm, it said: “The design of the extension is in keeping with the host building, the additional height will not be out of keeping with the character of other buildings along Upperton Road.
"Whilst the application site is not located within a conservation area, it is visible from the Upperton Conservation Area. The impact of the proposed additional floor will not harm the character or the vitality of the nearby conservation area.
“The application site is not within a flood risk zone, is not on contaminated land, and will not impact air traffic or defence assets.
“East Sussex Highways have been consulted as part of the application process and have raised no objection on highway impacts to the application, subject to the imposition of conditions.
“The Health and Safety Executive have been consulted as part of the application process and have raised no objection to the proposal on fire safety grounds and are content with the fire safety design of the proposal.”
The resubmitted plans were also met with objections from local residents which totalled 15 on Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning portal.
On Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning portal, Tara W objected and said: “Again, I would like to object to these plans as I live next door to the offices at St Marks and the current building already causes lack of light out the back of my property in the afternoons.
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"If the building is going to be extended upwards, the light will be lost earlier in the day.
“I also think that the parking in the area is terrible as it is, as is the "road" directly behind the building. If the offices are extended, more parking will be needed to accommodate this and simply allocating some of the office's spaces to the flats is only going to move the issue to the staff who already use that car park.
"Overall, I strongly object to these plans. I do not believe that converting this property will bring any value to the area.”
Russell from Southfields Street also objected and said: “My objection still stands as from the previous application which was turned down. The height of the building would be out of sync with all the other residential buildings surrounding it.”
References
- ^ which was refused (www.sussexexpress.co.uk)
- ^ then resubmitted, (www.sussexexpress.co.uk)