A NUMBER of new homes are to be built in Green Street after plans to construct nine apartments and two semi-detached houses were approved.
The proposals include building a four-storey apartment block containing seven two-bed and two one-bed units, as well as two three-bedroom homes at the Greencourt site, which sits next to The Limes development currently being built by Andium Homes.
As part of the approved scheme, the existing Grade-3-listed building at the site will be retained and undergo a full refurbishment.
The proposals were approved four votes to one by politicians on the Planning Committee at a recent hearing.
The site, which has been empty for more than five years, has been the subject of a number of planning applications in the past. Most were rejected because of the lack of consideration given to the listed building that forms part of the complex.
However, Planning Committee chair Deputy Steve Luce, who voted in favour of the application, said that he felt like the right balance had now been struck and that enough attention was being given to the historical building.
He said: ‘This is an exceptional application and it has been really difficult and finely balanced in terms of policies. The design of the application reflects the listed building and I do not think the units are overbearing.’
St Clement Deputy Alex Curtis, who voted against the scheme, said he was ‘shocked’ at the state of the site when the committee went to visit earlier in the week.
‘The two houses proposed are of good form and are subservient. However, the apartment block is of poorer design quality and the height is not subservient to the main building.’
The scheme received a number of comments from neighbouring residents who expressed concerns about the scale of the development.
The applicants, Firtree Investments Ltd, agreed to obscure the windows facing neighbours who had objected to the plans and to retain several trees close to their property.
Deputy Luce, St Clement Constable Marcus Troy, St Saviour Constable Kevin Lewis and St John, St Lawrence and Trinity Deputy Andy Howell all voted in favour of the plans.
