PLANNING APPLICATIONS UPDATE
This list is up to date at the time of writing, but for the latest and most accurate changes to planning, please consult EBC or this website, where you can also check the previous Planning Update posts for more background and history on individual cases.
2021/4257 Land North of the Sony Building, The Heights, Brooklands Business Park
This is the application from Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) for a 4 storey building with underground and decked parking to be used as an office and research and design laboratory. Weybridge Society has objected on the grounds that the development in the current form will present an unacceptable risk of the River Wey flooding elsewhere (downstream). An amendment to the scheme in the form of a Travel Plan has been added to the list of documents with receipt of comments now extended to 22/04/2022. All submitted documents can be viewed on the EBC website.
2021/4101 Glaxo Smith Kline Regarding GSK’s application above, to determine whether there was a need for an Environmental Impact Assessment. EBC confirmed this was not required.
Clive House, 12/18 Queens Road After reviewing applications for this building over many years we can now report that the flats at Clive House are being marketed as rental properties through The London Letting Company as well as on-line channels. The website describes the properties as 32 ‘luxury’ 1 and 2 bedroom flats with parking.
Former Café Rouge, 85 Queens Road and land to the rear
This building and the land to its rear in South Road continue to warrant attention and while some of the myriad applications have been determined, new ones have surfaced. A new restaurant offering fine dining is operating from the former Café Rouge premises with the pavement to the fore offering an attractive outdoor facility.
2022/0281 85 Queens Road This retrospective ‘Variation of Condition’ application seeks permission to change the windows to the front elevation of this prominent building. While new full height glazed doors have already been installed, the application was recently refused by EBC due to such a change being materially different from that approved and stating that ‘the proposed development would fail to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the area and would do harm to the Locally Listed host building’.
Land to the rear of 85 Queens Road (North West of Campbell Cottage & 1 Beacon Mews) South Road
2020/3188 offices for the visually impaired – refused. Appeal lodged 3rd March 2022.
2020/3190 a detached two-storey building to display works of art – refused
2020/3213 a two-storey building to provide 4 flats – refused
2021/2765 a pair of semi-detached dwellings – refused.
The above applications were refused primarily due to inadequate parking provision.
2021/2558 Land to the rear of 85 Queens Road Building for use as retail storage – this application was approved by EBC with a ‘Restrictive Use’ clause limiting use ‘for storage ancillary to the main use of the ground floor premises at 85 Queens Road as a retail unit and for no other use including residential or any other ‘Class E’ uses’ (ie commercial).
Two new applications have recently been submitted for this land in South Road.
2022/0441 A pair of semi-detached two storey houses with associated parking. Although similar in style to the previous applications, parking is now provided in front of these dwellings. Comments are due by 22/04/2022.
2022/0461 An Outline application for a detached two-storey building to provide offices with associated parking. This is very similar in design to 2022/0441 above but the proposal is for commercial rather than residential use. Comments due 22/04/2022.
2021/0245 Wessex, South Road This scheme to add an additional storey to the current scheme of 9 flats to create a tenth flat was refused due to the lack of provision for affordable housing.
2021/1879 Queensgate House, South Road An appeal has been lodged following refusal of this application to allow use as a Day Nursery due to increased vehicle movements and noise from the proposed nursery having a harmful impact on the local residents.
2021/4385 3 Beacon Mews, South Road An application for a first-floor extension to create an additional flat with an extensive roof terrace. This follows an earlier consented application (2020/0816) for a change of use from offices to residential. Readers will not be surprised to note that there have been 21 objections to date including a comprehensive letter from the Triangle Residents Group. Apart from overdevelopment, the main concern is the addition of yet another residence in South Road with no parking provision.
2022/0299 Land at Northeast of 93 to 99, Queens Road An application for a detached three-storey house with integral garage following demolition of existing garage and store.
2021/3517 Oak House 19 Queens Road Weybridge Society objected to the earlier scheme on this care home site (2021/0864) due to increased density and the ‘regency style’ elevations being out of character with the area. That scheme was subsequently withdrawn. The Society has not objected to the current application for a detached two-storey building comprising 10 flats.
2021/1365 Land at rear of Maple Down, 139, Queens Road This application to construct a substantial detached house in the rear garden of Maple Down, which sits at the end of a long private driveway on the north side of Queens Road, was refused permission by EBC on a number of grounds including being an overly dominant and overbearing building as well as causing harm to the residents of neighbouring properties, lack of adequate off-street parking and loss of trees.
2021/3769 Land rear of Southlands, 40 Queens Road An application to construct a terrace of three two-storey houses with rooms in the roof space on the rear garden of the host property. This follows refusal of the earlier application 2021/1356 due in part to that proposal’s low density failing to meet the most efficient and effective use of land. The current Outline Application which received 33 objections from local residents, was recommended for approval by the Planning Officer but was subsequently referred to the Planning Committee meeting held on 30/03/2022 where it was refused for a number of reasons. However, as not all reasons for refusal have been included in the decision, this application will again be heard by the Planning Committee on 27/04/2022.
2021/0712 Land West of 17 High Pine Close This application for a new dwelling on the rear garden of 17 High Pine Close with access along a narrow public footpath, was refused permission due to the lack of provision towards affordable housing.
2021/3609 22 Oatlands Avenue An application to demolish a bungalow with a wide frontage to Oatlands Avenue and replace it with two detached two-storey buildings with rooms described by the applicant as ‘in the roofspace’ (ie three storeys) to provide a total of 12 flats with parking space for just four cars. This proposal was totally out of keeping with the existing properties in Oatlands Avenue and was refused by the Planning Officer due to its design, form, scale, massing etc which would result in ‘a jarring visual appearance detrimental to the character and appearance of the area’. 38 letters of objections were received including one from Weybridge Society.
2021/3654 Leverton, St George’s Avenue An application for a detached three-storey block of 17 flats with rooms described by the applicant as ‘in the roof space’ (ie four storeys) with associated parking for 17 cars on the parcel of garden land behind Leverton. This application was refused permission for reasons including harm to the privacy of residents of Ikona Court, the proposed living accommodation being adjacent to the railway line which would be detrimental to the amenity of future occupiers and intensification of use of the existing access would compromise the safety of highway users. This application follows refusal of Prior Approval application 2021/3697 for an additional two storeys on Leverton, St George’s Avenue due in part to the external appearance of the additional storeys being harmful to the host dwelling.
2021/2381 Petrol Filling Station, 95 Brooklands Road After submitting several amendments and with 62 objections from local residents, as well as from Weybridge Society, the Planning Committee finally refused permission to significantly increase capacity at this petrol station due to the intensification of use and increase in scale etc having an unacceptable impact upon the amenities of adjoining properties.
2022/0583 Silvermere Haven Pet Cemetery and Crematorium This is the latest Consultation from Surrey County Council in a string of applications for this site. EBC has objected as it has to all previous consultations (2019/2722, 2020/0224, 2020/2215, 2021/2499 and 2021/4083). These applications relate to demolition of all current structures on the site and significantly expanding the Crematorium facility which now seeks to include an equine service. EBC objected on the grounds that the new buildings would have a greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt than the existing development. The final decision will be made by SCC. Further information can be viewed on the SCC website quoting reference SCC 2019/0125.
2020/2821 Warehouse 47 Thames Street A ‘Variation of Condition’ of application 2015/4593 (new windows and new roof) was allowed at appeal. EBC refused this Variation of Condition application on the grounds that the variation also includes an increased height to a parapet wall which would be materially different to that originally approved. This wall has already been constructed as evidenced by the photographs provided in the Weybridge Society objection letter. The multiple applications for the conversion of this warehouse into a dwelling are complicated and are on-going. As expected, the applicant has now appealed against the Council’s refusal.
2021/2887 Locke King House, 2 Balfour Road This application for a two-storey rear extension to the existing office accommodation was granted permission. Locke King House, formerly the Weybridge Cottage Hospital built-in 1889 in the Arts and Crafts style, sits within the Weybridge Conservation area.
2021/3349 Heath House and Heatherbank, Firfields, Cobbetts Hill This application is still being considered by EBC with a target date for a decision set for 21/04/2022. There have been some 200 objections from local residents including Weybridge Society as well as from others further afield who seek to preserve this historic building due to its association with Wisley RHS garden. This application is complicated by the current determination by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to nationally list the building and garden while EBC has already indicated that it intends to locally list the site. There are also issues raised by SCC Highways concerning the carriageway width of Cobbetts Hill which is awaiting a response from the applicant. For more information on the historical aspects of this Victorian property, refer to our Autumn/Winter 2021 Bulletin.
2021/2340 154 Oatlands Drive Extensions and alterations to convert the existing single storey house into two storeys following partial demolition of the existing house. This application was refused on grounds that the central bay window on the southern elevation (ie Oatlands Drive) would be an unduly prominent and incongruous feature within the street scene. An appeal was lodged against refusal but was dismissed by the Inspector. Weybridge Society submitted a letter of objection claiming that the proposed additions would turn an attractive building into a large unattractive one.
2022/0086 Beechcroft Manor, Oatlands Drive This Prior Approval application to add an additional storey to each of the four blocks of flats to create a further 11 dwellings received 106 letters of objection. Unfortunately, due to the Government’s recent change in the law concerning General Permitted Development, such extensions are permitted without the need to apply for planning permission. Accordingly, Prior Approval was granted.
2022/0599 Two Oaks, Castle View Road An application for the installation of a lift to serve 17 flats which are arranged over three floors. The lift is to be housed in a small infill extension. This seems at odds with application 2021/0395, a Prior Approval application for an additional two storeys (ie 5 storeys in total) to provide an additional 12 flats which was permitted a year ago.
2021/3680 21/21A Castle View Road A Variation of Condition application of Planning Permission 2018/3358 to replace first floor rear internal balcony with a rear dormer window which has already been installed without permission. The application was refused due to the dormer being visually harmful, out of keeping and unsightly and would harm the character of the host building.
2020/3350 4 and 4A Castle View Road EBC refused permission for a pair of semi-detached dwellings which would have created a terrace of houses out of keeping with the semi-detached styles prevalent in this location. Following refusal, an appeal has been lodged.
BROOKLANDS Apart from the GSK application, we continue to monitor and document the huge volume of applications for the various buildings in Brooklands which have ‘Permitted Development’ consent to convert the present commercial use into residential. These include Benchmark House and the buildings around it off Locke King Road, the JTI office building off Brooklands Road and Abbey House on the corner of Brooklands Road and Wellington Way. We are mindful that the owners of some of these buildings have ambitious plans for these sites and would like to assure you that members of the Weybridge Society Planning Panel are keeping a watchful eye out for further applications.