Following many months of consultation between local residents and Leander Sports and Leisure (who own the site) on their proposals to improve facilities and ensure greater financial viability for the club, the outline application was validated on 20th July 2011 seeking consent for three detached buildings for use as an indoor cricket training centre, a multifunction sport and leisure facility and health and fitness centre, a conference centre, a permanent stand for several thousand spectators, an all-weather floodlit pitch, on-site car parking and 48 low density two storey detached houses in a gated development towards Brackley Road. Continue reading “The Beckenham Kent County Cricket Ground, Worsley Bridge Road” →

This application for change of use, refurbishment of the existing building, to include a side extension, and a raised terrace and garden area, was refused at Plans Committee on 22nd December 2011 on grounds that it would be detrimental to the privacy of near neighbours and would result in over-concentration of food and drink establishments and also that there was insufficient evidence of an appropriate marketing strategy prior to making the application.

Earlier this year permission was given for roof alterations, rooflights in side and rear elevations and conversion of the roofspace to provide an additional bedroom and living space. More recently a revision to this proposal for conversion of the roofspace to provide a one bedroom flat was refused consent. This later decision is now subject to appeal and the CCARA intends to support the LBB in contesting this appeal.

Consent was given in July 2010 to an application by the Diocese of Rochester for reinstatement of the building extensively fire-damaged in 2008. Then in September 2010 plans submitted with a Building Regulations application indicated that the works proposed would involve an increase in height and alterations to the elevational appearance and therefore that these changes would require planning permission. An amended plan sent more recently to the LBB showed the increase by four courses of bricks to the height of walls to eaves level prior to reconstruction of the roof. A complaint that work was already in progress, followed by a site visit early in September 2011 led to consideration as to whether it was expedient for the Council to take enforcement action. Continue reading “R/O 80 High Street” →

Planning permission was granted in 2009 for the use of the first and second floors as a restaurant and staff accommodation and earlier in 2011 for the use of the first floor flat roof area as garden terrace. A more recent application sought to implement the use granted under the previous applications and to include the external area as part of the restaurant bar. The two earlier consents remain valid but this additional proposal was considered at a Plans Sub-Committee on 24th November 2011 and  refused on grounds that the proposed addition of a bar / drinking establishment element would result in an undesirable and over-intensive use of the site detrimental to the amenities of nearby residents.

An application in 2007 to demolish the rather dilapidated existing building, originally the Coach House to the former Oaklands Manor House, was strongly resisted by near neighbours with the support of one of our Ward Councillors. The proposal was refused and an appeal against this decision dismissed in December 2007. A subsequent application that had taken account of the Inspector’s comments on the design quality of the scheme and failure to take the opportunities for improving the character and quality of the area was approved by an LBB Plans Committee in 2008. The building on the site was demolished about a year following the consent and more recently some work started on the permitted scheme. Various applications earlier this year for amendments to this consent have not succeeded but a more recent request that appears to take account also of comments from local residents was permitted at Plans Committee on 27th October.