Long Sutton and District Civic Society oppose HMO plans proposed for ‘heart of conservation area’
A community group is concerned ‘conservation is further at risk’ if plans go ahead for a Grade II building to be converted into a House of Multiple Occupation HMO.
Long Sutton and District Civic Society strongly opposes a planning application to convert Brenchley House, 39 and 43 West Street, into multi-occupancy accommodation.
Historic England has assessed the town’s conservation area to be ‘very bad’, partly due to the dilapidated Bull Hotel nearby .
The impact of the HMO application on the conservation area was raised by society members at a public meeting organised by Long Sutton Parish Council last Thursday.
Tim Machin, chair of the society, said: “We are very concerned that the application puts Long Sutton’s conservation area, centred on the Market Place, further at risk.
“The addition of an intensive use HMO in such a prominent location at the heart of the conservation area will do nothing to improve its security and condition.
“The location of the proposal is in the immediate vicinity of St Mary’s Church, an iconic building in the heart of our community.
“It also overlooks the town’s war memorial, which has been a focus of town commemorations since 1920.
“The annual Remembrance parade takes place immediately outside the subject premises.
“The dignity of this event could be impacted by the potential comings and goings of many households during the services.”
Planning documents state “there will be no harmful impact on the setting of the Conservation (area).”
Heritage England states that negative change can have a real effect upon the way a “community feels about their area”, affecting confidence and leading to a “cycle of social and economic decline”.
Mr Machin added: “We share these views of the national agency and fear that the proposal could put the future of our conservation area and potentially the town’s commercial centre, which is an integral part of it, at further risk.”
Proposals by IMN Properties would see 39 West Street become nine two-person rooms, a one-person room and one person bed-sit, while 43 West Street would accommodate three two-person rooms and five one-person rooms.
