Epsom Civic Society

Click here to see map for location of 113 Longdown Lane South.

20/00545/CLP Extension of existing outbuildings to rear of site curtilage.

This property has a long and contentious planning history, the most recent episode of which is the current application resulting from the issue by EEBC of an Enforcement Notice regarding the existing self-contained building at the rear of the property. Permission was originally granted to convert the original stable block into a “granny annexe”, but this building has subsequently been used as a separate dwelling, creating a house of multiple occupation (HMO) for which no permission has ever been granted.

An attempt at enforcement was appealed against in 2015, but the appeal was dismissed. In 2020 EEBC has again issued an Enforcement Notice, as a result of which the current application for a Certificate of Lawful Development was made together with a further appeal against enforcement.

Since it is clearly in the general interest that the planning system operate successfully, and all applicants be required to respect planning policies and decisions, the Society has notified the Planning Inspectorate via their website of our support for EEBC’s enforcement action.

See our comments here.

Click here to see map for location of Chalk Lane Hotel.

20/01185/LBA Conversion of hotel and various alterations and extensions to the listed buildings to accommodate 21 dwelling units , car and cycle parking and private and communal gardens. (Listed Building Consent).

This application seeks to vary permission granted in April 2018 to previous developers for conversion of the property to residential use.

The amendments include a proposal to surround the main entrance courtyard with a high wall, thus closing off what was previously an open area. The Society believes this is out of keeping with the area, which is the most important Conservation Area in Epsom, and would adversely impact the visual appearance.

The Society wrote objecting to this proposal, following which the council’s Conservation Officer has confirmed that consent consent should be conditional on the previous low boundary hedge being retained.

See our original letter here.

And see our latest letter here.

Click here to see map for location of Chalk Lane Hotel.

20/01185/LBA Conversion of hotel and various alterations and extensions to the listed buildings to accommodate 21 dwelling units , car and cycle parking and private and communal gardens. (Listed Building Consent).

This application in a Conservation Area seeks to amend an existing scheme, the site, which incorporates a listed building, having been taken over by new owners mid-development. The amendments include a proposal to surround the main entrance courtyard with a high wall, thus closing off what was previously an open area.

The Society believes this is out of keeping with the area, which is the most important Conservation Area in Epsom, and would adversely impact the visual appearance. Refusal of the application has therefore been requested.

See our letter here.

Click here to see map for location of 32 Victoria Place.

20/01224/FLH Replacement of existing single glazed wooden front (including bay) windows with double glazed uPVC windows

This application for a property in a Conservation Area seeks to replace existing wooden windows with UPVC double glazing units.

While double glazing is an obvious improvement, UPVC is an inappropriate material in a Conservation Area, significantly modifying the appearance of the property and adversely impacting the street scene.

The Society would prefer replacement with modern wooden window-frames capable of housing the same double-glazing units without impacting the visual appearance, and has therefore requested refusal of the application.

See our letter here.

Click here to see map for location of Woodcote Grove Ashley Road Epsom KT18 5BW .

19/00999/FUL Development of 98 apartments/dwellings, including conversion of the Grade II* Listed Woodcote Grove and Grade II Listed Stable Block, with parking, access, landscaping and other associated works, following the demolition of the existing reprographics centre and conference centre.

This application and an associated one regarding amendments to listed buildings proposes the redevelopment for housing of the site of the old Atkins office buildings and conversion of the listed buildings of Woodcote Grove and associated stables.

The Society objected strongly to the first design proposals in September 2019, and again following revisions in March 2020.

Further amendments have been made but, in the Society’s view, still do not constitute an acceptable revision of the setting of a major heritage building in an important Conservation Area.

The Society continues to have objections under various headings, including the planning history of the site, density and housing mix, impact on the heritage building and Conservation Area, and road safety for both vehicles and pedestrians.

In addition, there are practical issues regarding access for and sequence of development to prevent further damage to walls in the narrow streets behind the site by construction traffic seeking access other than via Ashley Road.

The Society has therefore continued to recommend refusal of the application.

See our third letter on this proposal here.

And see our previous letter here.

And our original letter here .

Click here to see map for location of 107-111 East Street, Epsom KT17 1EJ .

20/00797/FUL Demolition of the existing buildings and erection of part 3 storey, part 4 storey building comprising 23 residential flats (7 x 1 bedroom, 12 x 2 bedroom and 4 x 3 bedroom) with associated car and cycle parking and refuse storage.

This planning application seeks to demolish two existing small two-storey buildings on the corner between East Street and Kiln Lane and replace them with two blocks of flats, one of three storeys, the other of four storeys. The new blocks and associated parking would completely fill the back gardens of the existing houses as well as the footprint of the houses themselves. The total proposed accommodation would consist of 23 flats, 7 1-bedroom, 12 2-bedroom and 4 3-bedroom.

The Society believes it important to regard this location in East Street, on the Ewell side of Kiln Lane, as being different from that part nearer towards the Town some of which is in a town centre location. The situation here is very different with generally single and two storey residential development prevailing towards Ewell and away from the higher buildings in East Street nearer the town.

We also believe that the bulk mass and density is excessive for this location, the absence of any affordable provision unacceptable, and the proposal fails to meet the required accommodation mix, in particular in respect to 3-bedroom units.

Further concerns are over the safety and acceptability of the proposed method of access to the proposed accommodation via a narrow lane, to the rear but not part of the property over which no right of way may exist, and which in any event would need to be widened. The Society has therefore requested refusal of the application.

See our letter here.