Below is a precis of my (sue Cooper) submission. If anyone would like the full version emailed to assist their own submission, please email me or message the page. Responses do not - indeed probably should not - be as long as this. Individual observations from a variety of different view points would be very valuable and could be just a few sentences, or maybe photographs. : Submission summary: My submission consists of: • A table of notes outlining some of the recent history of the Quay and how its maritime use thrived from 1992 to 2011 making it a unique working Heritage Asset (15 sides) • My original objection (which I understand the Inspector will already have received) (5 sides) • A letter sent in response to the applicant’s letter to the Planning Committee following the site meeting (including the text of the applicant’s letter). (7 sides) • This cover letter. (3 sides) I have arranged my comments to coincide with the headings in the Applicant’s Grounds of Appeal statement. Restaurant Saturation The applicant is providing services which directly compete with and therefore have the potential to harm, the viability of the town centre. Provision of yet another restaurant here will add to that potential harm. Maritime History Two decades of recent history have been ignored by the applicant in both his original application and his appeal. Ship building including barge building is well documented as having gone on here through history but of more relevant import is that, not ‘new build’ but complete restorations and long term maintenance projects were here from 1992-2011. The building which is the subject of this application was occupied and used constructively and continuously throughout the years 1992-2011 in complete accordance with its unique character and history. The applicant has failed to advertise effectively in order to attract suitable users to replace those he removed by his failure to renew their lease. Listed Building Considerations The building is, by nature, a simple artisan built and maintained shed of interest because of its situation in a group with others of a similar period and use, but all, essentially simple workaday buildings full of evidence of flexible use over the years. Public Benefit The claim that the application will add benefit in the form of a Cambria Trust exhibition ignores the fact that the exhibition already existed in another of the Standard Quay buildings from 2008 (when it was opened by the Mayor of Swale) to 2011. As is clearly demonstrated by the attached history notes there is nothing about the site which prevents reasonable use, in fact the complete site – which, in the terms of the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework), is this building and its setting: • is ideally suited to a modern, 21st Century use promoting much needed skills training. • has been proven, by appropriate marketing and twenty years of work, to have a very viable use totally in keeping with its conservation in the long term; • has already attracted grant and charitable funding from several sources in recent years. In fact the site could easily be put into the ownership of the Faversham Creek Trust or other managing body • was until June 2011 in full use and this was halted only by the applicant. It is therefore clear that there is not only no need for this development proposal but overwhelming evidence that it would irretrievably harm a unique heritage asset in terms of its use and appearance and intrinsic value – not only this building but, more importantly, its setting, - and put into private hands a resource which was, until very recently, a tremendous community asset with a great deal of local character and distinctiveness which had until very recently benefited the whole community as is evidenced by the body of support in fighting this proposal. Highways issues Use as a traditional yard for maintenance and repair of traditional vessels generates very little traffic. A single lorryload of good timber lasts a shipwright and his team months and the workforce in such a yard as existed at Standard Quay tends to employ very local people and thus little daily car traffic. Also, in its heyday, while some visitors did drive, the majority were passing through on walks around the town and along the Saxon Shore Way.
Posted on: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 11:30:51 +0000
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