Plans to demolish Melbourne town building to make way for housing is refused by councillors
By Eddie Bisknell - Local Democracy Reporter
9th Aug 2023 | Local News
"Poorly conceived, dreadful" plans to demolish a community centre on an historic plot in a Derbyshire town have been rejected by councillors.
At a South Derbyshire District Council meeting last night (Tuesday, August 8), plans from the Melbourne Hall estate to demolish the former senior citizens centre in Church Street, Melbourne, were refused.
The hall estate planned to replace the community centre, which closed in 2021 after 60 years, with five houses – a reduction from the original six houses – next to the Spirit Vaults microbrewery pub.
However, councillors were not happy with the perceived poor design of the planned homes and the impact this would have on a particularly historic part of Melbourne.
Mike King, a member of the Melbourne Civic Society voiced his objections during the meeting saying the plan for an "important site in Melbourne" was "poorly conceived" despite presenting a good opportunity for redevelopment".
He said having the houses set away from the road and instead have parking and bin storage at the front of the property, on a prominent historic junction, was to "wilfully ignore" the character of the protected Conservation Area.
Mr King said: "We all want to see housing development here but we need a good and approvable scheme."
Phillip Tuckwell, agent for the applicants, said the scheme had been worked up over the course of two years, with numerous withdrawn attempts, before a scheme was agreed with planning officers.
He suggested councillors need to consider if they listen to the civic society or their own officers, who had recommended approval.
A total of 10 objection letters were submitted to the council by opposing residents, discussing the loss of a community facility, the impact of the design, the reduction in privacy and increase in overshadowing, and the loss of a copper beech tree on site.
Cllr Jane Carroll said she was "disappointed" with the scheme, which could have been a chance to build a smaller housing project on a site in need of redevelopment.
She said the housing should be by the roadside, in line with housing throughout Melbourne's historic centre, and not closer to the neighbouring pub.
Cllr Carroll said: "A more exciting and stimulating design is a missed opportunity. People walking past this will not be impressed by the car park and bin store."
She said it was a chance to have a public square effect such as that seen in France and Italy, adding: "We need a design worthy of this historic and beautiful town."
Cllr Martin Fitzpatrick said the closest neighbours on either side of the proposed plot had both objected to the plans.
One of those residents said they suspected the area had the highest concentration of listed buildings anywhere in South Derbyshire.
They dubbed the current plans an "attempt to cram in as many houses as possible" and would lead to overshadowing in their garden, along with a loss of privacy and decreased enjoyment of their garden.
Cllr Fitzpatrick said the council would not have had a building big enough to accommodate the number of objectors who would have attended if the war memorial on site was not retained and moved nearby.
A property on the site had been used by the Royal Engineers in World War II, but it was destroyed by bombing in 1940, killing nine armed services personnel.
A British Legion Commemorative Plaque is currently on site on a brick wall, close to a copper beech tree that would be chopped down under the current plans.
Cllr Amy Wheelton said there was a "clear need" for housing on the "stunningly beautiful" site and said there had been a "unique opportunity" to bring something viable forward but said the plans were "totally unsuitable", dubbing the design "dreadful".
The house-building plan is a further attempt from the Melbourne Hall estate to safeguard its future by bringing in income for improvements and repairs through the reuse of the land it owns.
These efforts have also led to an expansion of the number of animals kept on site, a wide array of concerts and events, businesses and drinking venues, a glamping site run by comedian Johnny Vegas and filmed as part of a Channel 4 documentary series, and the recent vacation of the Pool Cottage care home.
The five-house scheme put forward by the estate would have fewer parking spaces than the six-home proposal, with 11 parking spots, instead of 13.
Four of the homes would form a terraced row within the site, where the current community centre building is, while the fifth house faces directly onto the roadside and is designed to copy the style of nearby housing.
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