Press
Release on Redrow Site by the Lymington Society
The
Webb Site originally received planning permission more than five years ago.
At that stage the Lymington Society felt the density allowed was too large
and objected to those proposals on the ground of over-development and the
risk creating a dead dormitory area.
The
present owner Redrow has put great efforts into a new scheme. Unfortunately
the first scheme was based on square blocks which were universally rejected
by the public and the planners in a consultation last August.
Redrow's
answer has been to create pitched roofs with partial timber cladding. Whilst
the design could reflect some parts of the south coast it does not reflect
any design in this location. The overall effect of the development will be
discordant with the surrounding area of Lymington and Lymington itself. Because
of its additional height it will dominate the area. It will also have a significant
adverse impact on the view of Lymington from Walhampton in the newly created
National Park.
In
the intervening period since the last permission was granted, the flood regulations
have required a significant in crease in the base building height. In addition
the pitched roofs also have increased the height of the overall development.
The two increases added together have created an overall height and mass significantly
greater than that in the original application.
Again
in the intervening period there has been an agreement over the new planning
concept of Local Distinctiveness for the area against which planning permission
for any new building needs to be tested. The development does not fit with
the local distinctiveness of its area but will create its own character which
will dominate the area.
The
Lymington Society appreciate that a lot of effort has been put into this development
by the builders to take into account local concerns but the preliminary view
of the committee is that the ultimate design which has developed from the
inappropriate square blocks to the current proposal with steeply pitched roofs
is going to be too out of character with its surroundings to be accepted without
challenge.
Speaking
today Dr Mackenzie Press Spokesman for the Lymington Society said:
“The
Lymington society is very keen that this unique site should receive the landmark
development that it deserves and have worked consistently with planners and
developers to try and achieve this aim.
Whilst
appreciating the great efforts that the current owners Redrow have gone to
to improve on the previously consented plans, including the linking of the
site into the town as a vital part of the town centre, the Society is now
uneasy about what has finally been applied for and on balance does not feel
that it can support this scheme in its current form.
The
shear density of the scheme, its height and its building style are all at
odds with the Georgian nature of the town and discordant with the look and
feel of Lymington.
The
need to raise the development for flood protection has meant that the development
is now exceptionally high overall and will come to dominate the views both
of the town from the National Park to the east and from the town looking out.
The
overall mass and density if the development is now nearly back to the original
Paxton’s scheme and is likely to overshadow the town and irrevocably alert
the style and feel and of Lymington for ever.”
The
Lymington Society will be looking at the application in detail and will be
providing a fully argued constructive response to the application which it
will publish on its website
