Approval for six flats on land next to Totton Asda

PLANNING permission has been granted for six flats on a vacant piece of land next to the Asda supermarket in Totton.

Roxan Homes submitted an application to New Forest District Council to build the one and two-bed properties on land behind The Old Cinema in Junction Road.

There will be no on-site parking for the new homes, and a new pedestrian access from Maynard Road would be created.

The company was given approval for four flats on the site in December 2019, but then submitted the new application to include an additional two dwellings, taking the total to six.

The site is named after the former Savoy Cinema which first opened there in 1935 and ran until 1961. It was put to alternative entertainment uses until 1977 when it was converted into a factory. Following its sale in 1997 it was turned into flats and became known as Savoy House.

However, in 2015 residents were evacuated from the council-run building as a result of structural faults as well as fire safety and asbestos issues, and the site was sold the following year to Roxan Homes. The properties were refurbished and renamed The Old Cinema.

In documents submitted to the district council the applicant stated: “The current application has sought to replicate the design principles and philosophy of the previously approved scheme as far as possible, whilst utilising the significant roof voids created by the two gable roof structures to provide the additional living accommodation.

“The site is in a transitional zone, located between industrial and residential buildings. This allows creative freedom with certain architectural features drawn from both the industrial and nearby terraced houses to create a design solution that complements and blends the two together.”

The application received one comment on behalf of Asda Stores, which borders the site. A spokesperson requested the same glazing condition attached to the development as was given to the previous application to deal with potential noise from the store’s service yard.

Discussing the application at NFDC’s planning committee meeting on Wednesday in last week, members voted 10 to six in favour. There were two abstentions.