Case Officer:
M Elliott
Site:
Library Court, Ilbert Road, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 1EB
Application No:
28/1443/01/F
Date Received:
24th August 2001
Applicant:
Ashfield Construction
Development:
Enclosure of part of entrance area to form small retail or office
unit
Bus
Tanks
Bs
TC
Station
Depot
E
AD
EN
OM
PR
OAD
RT R
ILBE
3.0m
A 379
7.9m
Library
Court
7.7m
and Library
E
FI
NG
RI
SP
RO
PE
W
AL
K
Bo
LD
Greystones
Fox
Quay House
(DC Offices)
Craig
lwyd
DR
Hill
's
on
ne
La
ee
Cr
d
En
ks
Quay
Top
Quay Top
Th e
Ste
ppin
g
Quay Court
(Nursing
s
Hillcrest
Home)
FIE
ING
SPR
RIVE
LD D
Badgers Bank
1
Catpath
Square's
Longlands
Quay
'S
RE
UA
SQ
3
Scale 1:1250
For internal reference only – no further copies to be made
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6
13
2
The
Foxley
This map is reproduced from the Ordnance Survey material
with the
Compromise
permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her
Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised
reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution
or civil proceedings. South Hams District Council. LA 079391. 2001
Policies
Within Development Boundary
Adjoining Conservation Area
Outside Central Shopping Area
Consultations
Devon County Council – County Highways Authority
No objection
South West Water
No comment
Environment Agency
No comment
Environmental Health Section
No objection
Town
Kingsbridge Town Council make the following observations:Refuse – see letter
Letter of support included in Members’ bundle
Case Officer Report
The Site and its setting
Library Court is a large modern building sited directly adjacent to Quay House, a grade II
listed building and is clearly visible from the Town Square and surrounds. The first floor
of the building formerly housed the Health Centre but has now been converted to flats.
The ground floor of the building accommodates the Library. Parking for the flats and
servicing area for the library exists alongside the building.
Access to the Library is through a covered entrance area, which also gave access to the
Health Centre. This covered entrance has an open frontage extending to approximately
7.5m.
The Proposal
It is proposed to enclose part of the covered entrance area to provide a small retail unit.
The unit would have an enclosed frontage of 4.5m and depth of 5.5m. The external finish
and fenestration would be in keeping with the existing building. WC and galley facilities
would be provided within the original lobby area of the existing building. The internal
retail floor area is approximately 21m2 (226 ft2).
Planning Policy
The site lies close to, but outside of the Central Shopping Area for Kingsbridge Policy KP4
applies. Outside of the Central Shopping Area the policy states that only the following
forms of development in the class A1 will be permitted:
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a)
b)
small shops in outlying residential estates (not more than 46m2)
small scale retail units ancillary and subsidiary to industrial, craft or service uses.
Representations
The Town Council have raised objection on the grounds that a retail unit would be out of
keeping with the area and that access (for deliveries) and parking are inadequate. To
address these concerns the applicant has submitted a letter in support of the proposal,
which is copied in the Members’ bundle of letters.
Analysis
This is a very modest proposal, which will have no adverse visual effect on its surrounds.
Although situated outside of the Central Shopping Area, Library Court is positioned
within the general town centre area and has easy pedestrian access from the public car
park. Officers are of the view that to permit a small retail unit here would not undermine
the viability or vitality of the town centre shopping area but would indeed contribute to it.
It is not considered that the proposal would undermine the objectives of policy KP4.
In respect of the concerns expressed over parking and servicing, the applicant has an
allocated parking space within the adjacent parking area and a storage facility for the
shop adjacent to the parking space. This storage facility lies within the existing building.
These parking and storage facilities will be retained for use in connection with the
proposed shop. This can be controlled by imposing an appropriate planning condition.
Conclusion
In view of the modest size of the shop and its position so close to the identified Central
Shopping Area no harm to the commercial centre of Kingsbridge will result. The
proposal enables the applicant to fully utilise part of the building in a positive way,
exercising his rights under Article 1 of Protocol 1 of the Human Rights Act, which will have
benefits to the wider community.
Recommendations
Conditional approval
Conditions
1 - NS03 (Standard NS3)
2 - Non Standard
Materials
3 - Non Standard
Parking/storage
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