Developer unveils third plans for block of flats in Walkford
A PROPERTY developer has revealed its latest bid to build a block of 14 flats in Walkford.
Poole-based Fortitudo has already submitted two planning applications to redevelop 20 Chewton Farm Road – with one being considered by BCP Council and the other by an appeal inspector, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
In a bid to overcome concerns raised by council planning officers, it has now drawn up a third set of proposals with underground car parking.
It follows two identical applications seeking permission to demolish the existing home and replace it with a three-storey block of 14 mostly two-bed flats.
Due to the council having not considered the first within time, the first is now being examined by a planning inspector while the second, an identical scheme, was lodged in August.
In May this year, Highcliffe and Walkford Parish Council objected to the plans and recommended BCP Council block the proposal.
Fortitudo, whose chief executive is well-known property developer Richard Carr, has now also made a third application which has 14 underground car parking spaces rather than them being on the surface.
A statement said this had been done to address planning officers’ concerns, but that it should not “prejudice” decisions on its other ones.
“Whilst this [the underground parking] adds significant costs to the scheme, it has been submitted in order to respond to the concerns of the planning case officer,” it said.
“In our professional opinion, the original scheme with surface parking is consistent with the character of the area and should be approved.”
It added that the proposed development has been “carefully conceived” to “achieve a positive assimilation” into the surrounding area.
Fortitudo said the new building would be similar in size to surrounding houses and that its “substantial rear garden” would be kept.
It said the use of the site for flats rather than a house “would make more efficient use of urban land”.
The application will be considered by council planning officers in the coming weeks.
