Christchurch town council objects to ‘contentious’ plan to build a bungalow on land between De Havilland and Comet Way in Friars Cliff

“CONTNETIOUS” plans for a bungalow on a Christchurch corner plot have seen an exceptional meeting called by the town council.

The home would be built on land between De Havilland Way and Comet Way at Friars Cliff, with chair of the planning committee Cllr David Jones called the meeting because of the “exceptional level of public interest”.

Three members of the public attended the meeting where they spoke against the application.

In a design and access statement, Birch Architects said the three-bedroom bungalow will be a “high quality, sensitive, environmentally sustainable home that will fit in with the surrounding area”.

It added: “The proposed new dwelling is carefully located on the plot to retain the existing open nature of the site and avoid any impact on the three mature [protected] trees.”

There have been more than 20 objections to the plan, and at the meeting those who spoke had concerns it was being built in an area that is a “significant open, green space” which serves as a “vital local amenity”.

They also said the proposed building was “not in keeping” with the character of the area and would be detrimental to the privacy of neighbouring properties.

Councillors agreed, with Cllr Jones saying he will be “urging BCP Council to consider the application openly at committee and not have it decided by an officer”.

The applicant has stated the bungalow will have a mix of “modern living and architectural harmony”.

But councillors said they echoed concerns from the residents about loss of local green space which includes protected trees and forms “part of a vital green corridor” along De Havilland Way.

They also said the application does not comply with “established policies” including Christchurch and East Dorset Local Plan.

The development also “fails to maintain the existing building line, increases frontage parking and diminishes green space”.

The council said it would be objecting on those grounds along with concerns about the “disruption of recreational activities, wildlife habitats, deviation from surrounding design, privacy issues, loss of natural light from neighbouring properties and the negative impact on the street scene and traffic flow due to reduced visibility”.

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