The Wykeham Hall development possibly due to start early next year and while it is understood that all permissions have been finalised, the transfer of ownership between Home’s England and the developer is possibly a delaying factor.
25 Lee High Street 22/00443/FULL. Front and rear extensions, in the fashionable wood cladding finishes: Not sure it will suit the street scene but it is not in the conservation Area.
99 Lee High Street, Pet Food and Dog Groomer. This application to extend the shop space is at the rear and will not be detrimental to the visual aspects of the Conservation Area.
2 Grace Buildings, Milvil Road (formerly and Antique shop but now vacant) This application to change the shop into a ground floor flat is made under ‘an allowed change of use” (22/004546/HHGDO). The LRA has raised an objection, as have other interested parties, as it will change the shop front in this distinctive Art Deco building into residential accommodation without the proper facilities. If this is approved how many more struggling shops will follow suit? Regretfully as this is ‘allowed under Government Direction’ it is very unlikely our objection will be upheld. The same loss of high street shops is prevalent in Gosport. The former Clarkes Shop at the end of Bemister’s Lane is subject of a similar application, but having the benefit of being in a Conservation Area, the Bemister’s Lane change of use has been refused.
12 Pier Street (22/00425/LDCE) Is going the same way although as this was previously office accommodation an application to be converted to residential accommodation. It will not change the frontage or outward appearance and there are some facilities
139-143 Lee High Street (the former Dry Cleaners) & 86 High Street, the burnt-out shop, no obvious progress on either site.
81 & 82 Marine Parade East, on the corner of MPE and Portsmouth Road, progressing slowly but work on site is somewhat intermittent, mostly at the weekends. Nearby at the Southern Water pumping station by Elmore Lake that pumps areas sewage/surface water mix to the Peel Common sewage farm. Unverified information is that the riser pipe has failed, so the pumps are unable to draw, hence the major tankerage operation to convey the flow to Peel Common by tankers. Expected to be repaired this week. Unfortunately, the road closed and diversion signs keep blowing over but it is clearly not in the work spec of anybody on site or any of the tanker drivers to re-erect them!
St Faiths Church, Victoria Square The scaffolding for phase two of the external Church repairs, the north side dormer windows and rainwater goods. Progress was already slow and now very weather dependant. Work is highly likely to extend into the New Year.
Daedalus Waterfront Update. The Daedalus Development Company held a second and very well attended Public Consultation event on the 11th and 12th November at St Faith’s Church. The development team are now pushing toward formal planning approval. They are making every effort to liaise with local people. Most are supportive and keen to see the fast-decaying building of the Daedalus Waterfront site repurposed and the Hovercraft Museum and Seaplane Square rejuvenated. All are hoping the downturn in the economy will not curtail the ambitious plans
Fareham proposals that would impact on Lee
Examination of Fareham’s Local Plan – The Planning Inspector conducted a review of Fareham’s revised Local Plan for soundness and conformity some further amendments are in hand. Hopefully this is the last step towards the Fareham’s Local Plan being adopted, thus becoming the instrument to reduce the speculative development applications. The Planning Inspectorates decision following an appeal to build 375 Houses on land beside Newgate Lane East is awaited. The adoption of an approved Local Plan should reduce such speculative applications for building on greenfield sites. STOP PRESS. The Planning Inspectorate has rejected the developers appeal and the development is denied. The LRA case was quoted as material to the case against development in the summing up.
