Legal warning over Lymington Town Quay cafe plans

AN ENVIRONMENTAL health officer has warned New Forest District Council that it could face legal action if a proposed café/bar with roof terrace at Lymington’s Town Quay sparked noise complaints.

The high-profile scheme moved a step closer after NFDC submitted a planning application to itself for a £1.2m replacement of the existing public toilet block in the car park, with the conveniences incorporating a separate glass-walled eatery with a terrace above overlooking the river.

The proposed building would serve 20 covers on the platform jutting out over the riverside walk. Downstairs the cafe/wine bar would have 12 covers with tables and chairs outside.

But in a planning statement, an NFDC environmental health officer cautioned that granting permission would not “in anyway indemnify against statutory nuisance action should substantiated complaints” about noise, odour or light nuisances be received.

They also recommend that the roof terrace should only be open between 8am and 10pm to avoid disturbance.

The new building will incorporate an internal staircase and lift. Downstairs there will be seven toilets and seven shower units for the use of sailors on the nearby moorings.

So far eight residents have objected to the application, with many worried about people on the roof terrace causing problems.

One branded the new building as “unnecessarily brutal, intrusive and insensitive” while another said it would be “excessively overbearing”.

One who lives in the houses looking out onto the river said the two-storey proposal is “an egotistical blight on the quay and will ruin the harmony”.

They added: “It’s like going to the cinema and having someone in the front row stand up for the whole time you’re there.”

Another objector said it would “quickly become an eyesore” and another urged the council to forget about the roof terrace saying it would spoil the character of the quay and existing river views.

However, Snug architects, employed by NFDC to design the new building, said in a statement that its team was creating a “bespoke modern facility that meets the needs of visiting yachtsmen”.

It argued the new building would “enhance the character of the area” while also “celebrating this unique waterfront location”.

But one resident commented that “Lymington Quay is visited by many, attracted by its characterful old buildings and cobbled street. It is not solely for the benefit of the sailing community”.

If the application is passed, NFDC hopes to start construction in September.