Sponsored by
No demolition of memorial homes
Wing residents win fight
Residents living in Wing have won their fight to stop a housing association demolishing their homes.
Tenants of Hightown Praetorian and Churches Housing Association's properties in Evelyn Close have had a year-long battle to save their homes, which were originally a gift to the village built by the de Rothschild family for returning servicemen from the Second World War.
The housing association had planned to demolish two semi-detached houses at 5 and 6 Evelyn Close and replace them with a block of four flats and two semi-detached homes and parking.
The 28 houses are built in a very leafy, roomy setting in Wing's Conservation Area which turned out to be their saving. A tree is planted in the close for every soldier killed in the two World Wars including First World War victim Evelyn de Rothschild - to whom the homes were built in memory.
Hightown had gone to appeal after the original planning application was dismissed but planning inspector Martyn Single finally declared the scheme unacceptable last Thursday.
Mr Single said: "I have found that the development would not have an adverse impact on the amenity of adjoining occupiers from use of the car park area.
"However, I consider that this is outweighed by the harm that would be caused to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area by the position and scale of the flats in relation to Evelyn Close, and the position and design of the semi-detached dwellings.
"This, combined with my concern at the level of provision for the parking of vehicles for the semi-detached dwellings leads me to conclude overall that the proposal would be unacceptable.
"I conclude that the demolition of the two properties without an adequate replacement would be harmful to the character or appearance of the Conservation Area."
Ex-serviceman John Nolan, living in the close, had help start an action group to protect their homes. He was unavailable for comment.
But others living in the road did not think this was the end of it and they anticipated another application shortly.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
