Christchurch Town Council backs new plan by Pennyfarthing Homes to redevelop former Maritime Coastguard training agency centre at Steamer Point

A NEW scheme for homes at a derelict clifftop site near a nature reserve has been given town council backing.

Christchurch Town Council has thrown its support behind Pennyfarthing Homes’ revised plans to redevelop the former MCA Centre at Steamer Point.

The developer had a previous scheme for 21 homes and flats at the Christchurch site refused by BCP Council over concerns about “massing” and “unacceptable impact”.

An earlier plan for 26 homes and flats was turned down on appeal in 2022.

Its most recent scheme, as reported by the A&T would see 10 “bespoke contemporary” detached homes with car parking and landscaping.

An agent for the company attended a meeting of the town council just before Christmas to talk to councillors about the new plans.

A former Maritime Coastguard Agency training facility, there have been several attempts to develop the site with many raising objections from local residents. But the revised plan from Pennyfarthing has so far been largely supported.

At the meeting councillors heard how the developer was taking an “ecologically sensitive approach” to “preserve all the healthy trees and enhance the natural characteristics of the site”.

The agent emphasised that the houses were designed with “contemporary architectural style to ensure a harmonious assimilation into the wooded cliff top”.

“Ecological buffers” will be created to separate the nature reserve and the woodland from the residential areas.

The agent also stressed that low lighting guidelines of the Bat Conservation Trust and ‘dark skies’ standards were considered in the planning and design stages.

There will be one three-bedroom and nine four-bedroom homes built on the site if planning is granted.

After listening to the presentation, members decided to support the application as it would be “in keeping with the environmental and heritage context site”.