Plans put forward to transform a former Lloyd’s Bank on Sandown High Street into a family home have been refused by the planning committee.
The Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee shared officers’ concerns on Tuesday night that the change of use would interrupt the flow of the High Street and remove a commercial property, removing more commercial premises from its already depleted high street.
In a report put before the committee, officers said it would be an ‘undesirable change’ and highlighted the scheme had already been refused by the planning authority once before.
Local ward representatives Councillors Debbie Andre and Ian Ward were both supportive of the application, however saying Sandown was in need of regeneration and the High Street was a key component.
Councillor Andre said the property had been closed for over 5 years and had started to deteriorate and decline before the owners enhanced the existing street scene with window displays appreciated by local residents.
Arguing against the officers’ reasons for refusal, Councillor Andre said it was a sympathetic restoration to be occupied by a family, not a commercial development.
The application was also supported by committee member Councillor Vanessa Churchman who said the High Street was looking run-downn but the former bank was probably one of the nicest buildings.
She said she felt the committee was splitting hairs because it was prepared to approve development on greenfield sites, due to the Island’s desperate housing need, but willing to say no to this application.
Councilllor Churchman tried to overturn the recommendation but received no support from fellow committee members.
The refusal of planning permission was granted by the seven other committee members who suggested the applicants, Mr and Mrs Conkleton, bring back the scheme but keeping the ground floor as a retail unit and converting the upper floors into residential use.
The council, as described in its own planning policies tries to preserve commercial units in town centres.
Councillor Matt Price said that once the retail space is gone you have lost it for good and pointed out by preserving the ground floor commercial space it would make business rates cheaper, meaning it would be more viable to keep a shop open while adding to the housing stock on the Island.
Another tat shop or take a way
This council has lost the plot
Another illogical and unfair planning decision. At least two councillors are being pragmatic and supporting this.
There is no logic in preserving retail space when there is no demand. Look around , the whole country is awash with empty , neglected and unwanted shops , making whole areas look like war zones.
Perhaps the owners should ask one of the island’s big developers to submit the application. It would the go straight through ! Better to repurpose existing buildings than build on farm land and open spaces.
Councillors need to get the message before it is too late. We need fields and trees , they are the lungs of our world.
Of course it would go straight through if one of the ‘big’ developers proposed it.
Turned down no doubt due to there being no ‘incentives’ offered!
If it has been empty for 5 years there is obviously no commercial demand for it at the rates charged.
How long does the planning committee suggest the owners should wait, unable to do anything? Another poor decision for me, which would get overturned on appeal
It is supposed to to be the high street, not a housing estate.
Exactly. Keep our high streets for shop. Housing should be left for estates like Penny Feathers!
Well, if we can’t convert an already existing and disused buildings into homes then I guess we better build on more green field. The objectors think that it’ll be made a bank again, they are living in cloud cuckoo land.
No, the objectors are concerned that it will set a precedent that makes it hard to refuse other change of use requests in the future. Once a commercial property is lost to residential use it is pretty much lost for ever.
This happened a few years back with hotels/guest houses with the result that lots of them disappeared as potential buyers were priced out of the market because it was more profitable (and now easy) for owners to change the use and sell the properties on the domestic market instead.
Vanessa Churchman is spot on.Haven’t the IWCC not woken up to the fact the High Street as we knew it has long since gone, hence the run down condition of Sandown. Here’s the ideal opportunity to provide two homes, possibly within the means of some Island residents, and ensure the ongoing maintenance of the building. I’m sure the demand for homes far out weighs the demand for commercial premises. No doubt not enough profit for the Councils greedy developer chums,
It is obvious to all, that unless life changing sums of money are involved, then and only then do the planners seem to become selective in their decision making.
This leads many to feel that they are too cosy with the larger developers who perhaps are more grateful than the smaller scale developers.
I have heard it is all to do with the Masons, etc, yet of course there is no proof, only in what we see happening to justify that.
But most now know planning is very suss, and to be fair, many of us would be swayed if the price was right.
Yes that’s it. Let it become another kebab or curry house or even better a charity shop. Are you trying to downgrade us at every turn, council?