BPT has continued to oppose a series of planning applications for the residential build-up of the green setting of the Grade II St Martin’s Chapel, part of the wider Grade II St Martin’s Hospital site which was originally built as the 19th century Odd Down Workhouse. The proposed site of development is focused on a mid-20th century single storey office building. The building is in poor condition and considered to be a visual detractor to the site; however, its low profile means that it remains a relatively recessive feature within the setting of the Chapel.
2020/2022 – New Outline Application for Apartment Block Development on Chapel Site & Appeal
Outline application 20/04546/OUT marked minor material revisions to the previous scheme for eight apartments, to which BPT continued to object with the support of local residents.
Read our response to the 2020 planning application here.
Following continued refusal of this latest iteration of proposals, the decision was appealed. BPT submitted a written statement asking for the appeal to be dismissed. In March 2022, the inspector dismissed the appeal, citing that the proposed two storey building would be of a “significantly greater volume” than the existing office building and require the removal of two groups of evergreen trees, and two individual specimens; as such it would be “a much more prominent and intrusive feature in the setting of the heritage assets.” The public benefits offered in the form of eight new dwellings were considered to be limited and would not outweigh harm. Read the inspector’s decision notice in full here.
2019 – Initial Proposals for Residential Development of Chapel Site
Application 19/00021/FUL initially proposed the development of five terraced dwellings. BPT opposed the scheme on grounds of harm to multiple listed buildings and the erosion of an important piece of green amenity space within this area, now largely given over to residential use.
Read our response to the 2019 planning application here.
The application was subsequently refused because of the “detrimental impact upon the setting of the Grade II listed Chapel and the wider St Martins site.” Soon after, application 19/05059/FUL was submitted with revised proposals for a two storey block of eight apartments. BPT reiterated the same objections as previous.
Read our response to the 2019 resubmission here.
The application was refused in late 2020, with the case officer maintaining that development would be of harm to the setting of multiple heritage assets. Whilst the principle of residential development on the site could be supported, the case officer concluded that there were significant concerns in relation to the overall massing and siting of the proposals. The public benefit of housing provision was not considered to outweigh harm.