This is an unusual and historic corner of Staines, which lies adjacent to the Grade ll Listed Bridge. The Hythe is located in a delightful riverside Conservation Area, which dates back to Roman times, when it was the first crossing place of the River Thames upstream from London. For those not familiar with the area, The Hythe lies on the other side of Staines Bridge where The Swan & Anne Boleyn pubs are located.
A developer has recently put in a Planning Application to re-develop the small office at the very eastern end of The Hythe (away from the bridge).
The size and design of the existing smaller scale 2 storey office was intended to maintain the character and appearance of the area. The current proposal calls for the office to be rebuilt with a larger footprint, that doubles the floor area of the property and increasing the height by converting the pitched roof into a third floor, rising 1.7 metres above the current height. The proposed refurbished office building is of a brutal modern design, using materials that are not found elsewhere in this Conservation Area and although in a different setting or context it would be perfectly acceptable, it will not enhance or complement the neighbouring 16th & 17th Century cottages.
The outcome of this Planning Application however, may largely hinge on the inadequacies of the parking and vehicular access, although we believe that the Conservation Area issues are of equal if not greater importance.
In this instance, the exploitation of a loop hole, which allows the developer to re-develop a site by retaining a small portion of the original building (calling it a refurbishment) and adding extensions to both the height and the footprint of the building, is shameful. After the many years where RBC have revered this delightful conservation area and in the past provided pavements of hand-made clay bricks, as well as the old style lamp posts, they now seem intent on changing its identity, by permitting this brutally modern adaptation of the existing office.
There was a 7 year period during the mid to late 1980’s during which, various Planning Applications from several different developers were refused by RBC as the buildings were not in keeping with the style of this small scale conservation area. One of these was sent to Appeal but the Inspector upheld Runnymede’s decision to refuse permission. The existing building and the 2 semi-detached houses no.’s 15 & 16, which are the final result of that process, were granted permission in June 1988. They are very much in keeping with the style of the nearest older buildings and do not belittle the 24 Grade ll Listed properties in The Hythe. The ultra modern style of the proposed building will be too tall and distinctly out of character with the surrounding buildings.
PLEASE if you have a moment to spare, email: Stephanie Milne, Planning Officer at Runnymede Borough Council planning@runnymede.gov.uk quoting reference RU.17/1726 and make your comments, you may not live there but if you visit and/or are familiar with the location you can comment. Every letter/email will help, please do put some or any of the following into your own words and order, the Friends of The Hythe will be very grateful for your support. Deadline November 2017
The following are valid reasons for objection:-
- Insufficient parking provided for the larger building – the existing limited parking in The Hythe & surrounding roads will be exacerbated.
- Narrow access road will cause congestion at the eastern end of The Hythe.
- Out of character with the design of the majority of the existing properties in The Hythe.
- Proposed design is much too tall and large in relation to the small scale of the existing buildings in The Hythe.
Thank you
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