PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY THE BOURNEMOUTH PLANNING DEPARTMENT DURING MAY (PART TWO) – A CRITIQUE BY JOHN SOANE, BUILT ENVIRONMENT CONSULTANT TO BOURNEMOUTH CIVIC SOCIETY
64 Norton Road , Winton Ref. No. 7-2022-28581-A
This is an application to build a small, two storied, detached house on a new site, made up by a synthesis of the rear sections of the developed sites at 64 and 62 Norton Road.
The built footprint of the new house would take up approximately 50% of the site and access would be by means of a new way along the edge and within no. 64. There would be just room for two car parking spaces in front of the principal elevation of the new building and for a small garden to the rear.
The house would be designed in the form of an interwar, suburban detached residence crowned by a hipped roof, together with a gabled, two storied bay window on the principal elevation and French windows to the rear. While accepting that in absolute terms the new design is quite reasonable, the Society feels that the built foot print of what is proposed is far too large for the dimensions of the plot and if built would amount to an excessive density of development.
We share this view with the majority of the 34 comments on the proposal which have been sent in by local residents. Fears were also expressed that if such a proposal were allowed, this would set a precedent for similar construction in the immediate neighbourhood and the accepted planning policy for the area would be compromised. Here is yet another example of an attempt to build residential property, merely for financial gain, in a location that was never designated to be so developed.
Therefore the Society has decided that since this proposal in no way abides by the townscape policies of the Bournemouth Local Plan, it should be refused.
1-10 Kemp Road, Winton Ref. No. 7-2022-829-M
This is an application to construct 12 semi-detached houses and one bungalow on a mainly open, spacious site in the vicinity of St. Peters Hill, Wimborne Road. Four new residential properties planned to be built on this site have already been approved.
The majority of the semi-detached properties would be built in two blocks of three and four units along the eastern boundary of the site. Three more such houses would be placed along the northern edge.
The principal design form of the semi-detached houses would be that of modernised, two storied, nineteenth century, artisan cottages with hipped roofs. The upper floors would have trips sets of vertical windows and on the ground floor the principal elevations would contain the main entrances and double windows with French windows to the rear. No 13, the bungalow, would have a chalet roof with residential accommodation above the ground floor. .
Apart from a small block of semi detached houses and two detached houses towards the south western side of the site (already approved ) the Society feels that irrespective of the restrained design, far too many semi-detached houses are planned for this site; the amount of private outside space for each property is very small. Further we think the new development would have a negative effect on the lower density appearance of the adjacent properties – especially prominent would be the seven terraced houses on the east side of the site.
We would suggest that the number of housing units in this location be reduced to five and the number of units on the north side be limited to two. With fewer residential units, the new scheme would become a more spacious and pleasant place to live. Consequently, the Society feels that since this proposal falls short of the townscape policies of the Bournemouth Local Plan, it should be deferred for further discussion and improvement.
24 Westover Road Ref. No 7-2022-2730-S
This is an application to convert the first, second and third floors of the property into six flats. The building is part of an extensive neo-georgian terrace that was constructed on the site of the original, early nineteenth century villas on this site in 1929. The first floor of no. 24 was a Ladies Hairdressing Salon between 1929 and the mid 1960’s and later, together with the upper floors, served as commercial offices.
One of the planned, two bedroomed flats would take up the front half of the building facing the Lower Pleasure Gardens. The other flat would face on to a relative narrow, dark courtyard with a negligible view. The Society feels there would would be a very considerable visual contrast between the large windows overlooking the gardens in the front flat and the cramped surroundings visable from far smaller windows in the rear apartment.
Indeed we think that under the circumstances it is really not an appropriate idea to convert the premises into residential use, a function they were never designed to fulfil. However if a conversion has to take place the Society thinks that the division for both flats should follow the wall between bedroom one and bedroom two of the rear flat through to the front wall between bedroom two and the lounge of the front flat. In this way we note that three of the bedrooms of both flats would be to the rear and the two lounges would both face onto the Lower Gardens.
Therefore the Society thinks that because this planning application does not fully meet the townscape policies of the Bournemouth Local Plan, it should be deferred for further discussion and improvement.
117 Carbery Avenue, Southbourne Ref. No. 28317-A
This is an application to demolish the existing detached dwelling on the site and to construct a new, substantial, family house with four bedrooms and generous living space. The houses along Carbery Avenue were laid out in late suburban, Arts and Crafts style between the wars. Thus the existing house has a distinctive hipped roof and a slight projection on the front elevation connected to a two story bay window.
The new structure would be constructed in the late seventeenth century English classical style. The principal elevation would have a strictly, symmetrical façade with two pairs of twin vertical windows either side of a wide ground floor entrance with a seven light window above. Crowning the structure would be a prominent hipped roof.
The Society accepts that the new built foot print is generally similar in size to that of a fair number of adjacent residences. Nevertheless the Society feel that the rather pretentious, classical style of the new building would not enable it to fit in that easily with the predominantly Arts and Crafts ambience of the surrounding area.
However while not requiring the new structure to precisely mimic the precise visuality of its neighbours, we do think that certain architectural contrasts should be created on the façade to make the building more acceptable. Consequently we suggest that the central section of the main façade could be topped by quite a large and elaborate, quasi-baroque gable and that the windows either side could be given a more vernacular, less classical, look.
The Society also think that the closeness of the walls to the boundary division should be reduced by the reduction of the overall width of the structure. In this way the privacy of neighbouring properties would be better preserved. It follows that we have resolved that because this application does not tally with the townscape policies of the Bournemouth Local Plan, it should be deferred for further discussion and improvement.
111 Wick Lane, Wick Ref. No. 7-2022-4578-F
This an application to make alterations and to build extensions to an existing twentieth century modern house to make it more aesthetically compatible with the generally vernacular architectural ambience of Wick village. The end entrance section of the principal façade will be reshaped by an extension of the existing hipped roof; the existing first floor window would be redesigned with a pediment and in place of the garage, a three light window would be inserted. This part of the façade would be brought together by a ground floor extension cum porch in front of the main entrance. On the rear elevation, accommodation would be extended on the first floor by a low sweeping chalet style roof encompassing an existing first floor window transformed into a Venetian style dormer. Below the old French window and door would be transformed into a larger French window in three sections and designed in a more symmetrical position
Generally speaking, the Society welcomes the design improvements that are contemplated, but suggests that the smaller rectangular roof lights on the rear elevation could be better shaped and placed. We feel that by this unique synthesis of modernist and traditional concepts, the existing rather pronounced, 1960’s appearance of the existing house can be considerably reduced.
Therefore the Society thinks that since this project very nearly comes close to fulfilling the townscape policies of the Bournemouth Local Plan, it should be deferred for further consideration and improvement .