Gurteen plan deferred, but with agreement over some demolition
Thursday, 5th March 2015.
Planners today agreed to defer a decision on the demolition of some of the buildings on the Gurteen factory sit in the town centre until the completion of the masterplan in September.
But St Edmundsbury Borough Council development control committee members indicated that, if Gurteens came back with an application which only applied to the buildings of no heritage significance, that could be given the go-ahead straightaway, without returning to the committee.
Gurteens' proposal listed a number of buildings on the site which they wanted to demolish in phases, as and when firm plans for what would go in their place came forward from developers.
The buildings of the greatest significance - including the main French Gothic building and the original North Light factory - have to be retained under the plans.
But buildings of lesser significance would be demolished, to be replaced with a mixed use development of residential and retail.
For the committee the sticking point of this was the North Light factory extension, a more recent building created as a sewing unit, but with the same north light design which there was pressure to retain for heritage reasons.
Haverhill resident John Burns addressed the committee before they debated the item, and told them there was a lot of objection by residents to the plan.
There was no justification for demolishing the north light shed when no serious attempt had been made to find an alternative use for it, he said.
It had stood for 160 years and was heritage that would be lost for ever, while the town centre would be left with a derelict site which could remain so for many years.
On behalf of Gurteens, Mike Carpenter told members the proposal as necessary to enable the site to make a valuable and modern-day contribution to the town centre.
A refusal would lead to tired, unused buildings in the town centre. Demolitions would only happen, in any case, if certain triggers had taken place, ensuring there would be redevelopment.
Cllr Maureen Byrne said this was a very difficult issue for councillors in Haverhill, who now had great faith in the consultants newly appointed to take forward the masterplan process for the town centre.
She urged the matter should be deferred until that masterplan was completed and it could be seen what ideas the consultants had for the site.
"This masterplan is absolutely key to what will happen in the high street," she said.
Cllr Tim Marks said much of Haverhill's heritage had been destroyed and the town was anxious to keep the Gurteens buildings. He supported deferment.
Cllr Peter Stevens agreed but said it was vital for the committee to demonstrate to Gurteens that it was basically in favour of most of these demolitions as a way forward with the site.
If a clear message in favour of demolition was not sent out, then the site might 'miss the boat' with some potential development opportunity.
The council was not against 'pragmatic demolition of listed buildings', he said.
Cllr Sarah Mildmay-White said she had heard no justification for taking down the north light building.
A feasibility study is now almost complete on alternative uses for the original north light factory, which houses the steam engine Caroline, including so-called 'heritage' uses.
But St Edmundsbury Borough Council development control committee members indicated that, if Gurteens came back with an application which only applied to the buildings of no heritage significance, that could be given the go-ahead straightaway, without returning to the committee.
Gurteens' proposal listed a number of buildings on the site which they wanted to demolish in phases, as and when firm plans for what would go in their place came forward from developers.
The buildings of the greatest significance - including the main French Gothic building and the original North Light factory - have to be retained under the plans.
But buildings of lesser significance would be demolished, to be replaced with a mixed use development of residential and retail.
For the committee the sticking point of this was the North Light factory extension, a more recent building created as a sewing unit, but with the same north light design which there was pressure to retain for heritage reasons.
Haverhill resident John Burns addressed the committee before they debated the item, and told them there was a lot of objection by residents to the plan.
There was no justification for demolishing the north light shed when no serious attempt had been made to find an alternative use for it, he said.
It had stood for 160 years and was heritage that would be lost for ever, while the town centre would be left with a derelict site which could remain so for many years.
On behalf of Gurteens, Mike Carpenter told members the proposal as necessary to enable the site to make a valuable and modern-day contribution to the town centre.
A refusal would lead to tired, unused buildings in the town centre. Demolitions would only happen, in any case, if certain triggers had taken place, ensuring there would be redevelopment.
Cllr Maureen Byrne said this was a very difficult issue for councillors in Haverhill, who now had great faith in the consultants newly appointed to take forward the masterplan process for the town centre.
She urged the matter should be deferred until that masterplan was completed and it could be seen what ideas the consultants had for the site.
"This masterplan is absolutely key to what will happen in the high street," she said.
Cllr Tim Marks said much of Haverhill's heritage had been destroyed and the town was anxious to keep the Gurteens buildings. He supported deferment.
Cllr Peter Stevens agreed but said it was vital for the committee to demonstrate to Gurteens that it was basically in favour of most of these demolitions as a way forward with the site.
If a clear message in favour of demolition was not sent out, then the site might 'miss the boat' with some potential development opportunity.
The council was not against 'pragmatic demolition of listed buildings', he said.
Cllr Sarah Mildmay-White said she had heard no justification for taking down the north light building.
A feasibility study is now almost complete on alternative uses for the original north light factory, which houses the steam engine Caroline, including so-called 'heritage' uses.
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