Planners reject plans for last pub on a Winchester estate (From Hampshire Chronicle)
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Planners reject plans for last pub on a Winchester estate
11:46am Wednesday 26th September 2012 in News By Wesley Rock
The pub during a previous closure in 2009
A MAJOR development in Stanmore was ditched following “a badly flawed application”.
Developers wanted to demolish the New Queens Head on Stanmore Lane and build 14 new homes and a convenience store.
City planners rejected the plans amid bizarre scenes at the Guildhall.
The planning committee meeting was briefly interrupted by an interjection from the developer.
Cllr Barry Lipscomb then took the unusual step of requesting that chairman Ernest Jeffs permit council officers to step outside the room to clarify the point being made by the developer.
Controversy centred on whether the site was large enough to trigger the council’s policy that 40 per cent of the new homes should be ‘affordable’.
Plans submitted by Bargate Homes consisted of only 11 per cent affordable housing. The confusion had arisen because some of the land within the proposed site was considered ‘undevelopable’.
Upon returning to the room, Simon Finch, head of planning management, said: “As it stands, this triggers the threshold for affordable housing.”
Officers recommended the proposals be rejected on the grounds they did not provide an appropriate mix of affordable housing and that a better development was possible. There were particular
concerns that the homes were not sympathetic to Stanmore’s townscape.
Stanmore Cllr Jamie Scott was one of only two members to vote in favour of the plans. He said: “The feeling in Stanmore is that they’ve lost a real pub. But we need to move on as a community. I think common sense has to prevail here.”
The committee voted overwhelmingly to reject the application.
The decision spells the end of Bargate Homes’ involvement with the site, as their option-to-purchase on the land will soon expire.
Managing director Angus Cook said: “We’re saddened by this position but I want to thank the members of the council for their thoughtful consideration.”
Louise Mc says...
11:11am Wed 17 Oct 12
It was in the early 70`s that the pub had to contend with the competition of a club opening in very close proximity with Whitbreads supplying the beers to it at a much reduced price thus starting the pub on its road to its present state. Many landlords tried to turn it around but like every thing if you dont use it you lose it.
Whatever eventually happens to it I hope it happens soon, seeing the place look so desolate is depressing.
Louise McCauley.
Saxilby .Lincoln.