For the attention of the Assistant Director,
Strategic Planning & Infrastructure.
Planning Department RBK
Guildhall 2
KINGSTON UPON THAMES
KT1 1EU
Email: development.management@kingston.gov.uk
31st January 2019
Dear Sir,
18/13000/FUL : 4 Manorgate Road Kingston Upon Thames KT2 7EL
Demolition of the existing buildings on site and the erection of an A1 retail foodstore...Planning Officer: Karen Coles
Objection
The Society wishes to object in the strongest possible terms to the above Application. I hope that although the date for responses has passed our views will still be taken into account by yourself & the Case Officer.
The Society wants to support the comments made in December 2018 by the Kingston Town CAAC but has some further points to add.
Regarding the site’s proximity to the adjacent Park Road conservation Area & the nearby LASC, we have to take issue with many of the statements made in the report written by the Heritage Collective consultants. RBK’s Policy CS8 states that the Council will protect the historic character of the Borough from inappropriate development & seek opportunities for sensitive enhancement”. Policy DM12 states”.. that the Council will preserve or enhance the existing ‘heritage assets’ & will allow proposals that preserve or enhance the established character or architectural interest of the ‘heritage asset’. It will also ensure high quality materials are used”.
Historic England’s Guidance Notes [2nd edition] makes it clear that the setting of a heritage asset is the surroundings in which a heritage asset is experienced. Its extent is not fixed & may change as the asset & its surroundings evolve. Elements of a setting may make a positive or negative contribution to the significance of an asset “ etc. etc.
The Society argues that there can be no doubt that the Park Road CA is a ‘heritage asset’. The new building will be a piece of inappropriate development & will neither preserve nor enhance the area. Thus it completely contravenes Policy CS8. The historic character of the surrounding area i.e. Manorgate Road & the adjacent Park Road CA will neither be preserved nor enhanced by this development. The suggested materials are of modern & partly industrial character, going directly against Policy DM12.
Heritage Collective state at Para 4.13 of their report that the building will be of an increased bulk, mass, height & scale. They allege that no harm will be caused to the surrounding heritage asset i.e Park Road CA. Given all that we have referred to above in the 2 RBK Policies & Historic England’s Guidance Note, we fail to understand how those arguments could possibly be accepted by the Council.
I sincerely hope that this Application will be discussed in public by Councillors at a Planning Committee meeting when objectors such as this Society will be given a further opportunity to voice again their very deep concern about this appalling scheme.
Yours sincerely,
For and on behalf of the Kingston upon Thames Society
Anthony Evans : Chairman
30 Presburg Road
New Malden KT3 5AH