Click here to see map for location of Cafe Moka 59-60 West Square The Ashley Centre High Street Epsom KT18 5DB

24/01399/FUL Demolition of Unit 60 and construction of replacement single storey Class E unit to The Ashley Centre (including outdoor seating area and associated works).

This application proposes demolition of the existing cafe building and replacement by a smaller footprint building with outside space for seating. The changes would remove the existing roof feature which masks visually the service yard behind.

ECS believes the changes to be unnecessary and would create an unacceptable visual harm to a key building in the Town Centre Conservation Area. The Society has objected via the “Comments” facility on the EEBC Planning website as follows:-

“The writer served as a member of the Council’s committee in the late 1970’s charged with assessing and appointing developers to design and commission of (what was named) the Ashley Centre, which produced the resulting scheme with its appointed developers Bredero and their architectural team being considered a success which has continued to this day.

Comment is offered with this background about the proposal to demolish unit 60 and replace with open external seating area to the west Courtyard area.

The west Courtyard with its entrance from the High Street was designed replicate features to the main entrance further east. As such it possessed similar features with a turreted design but subservient to the main entrance.

This 2004 application proposals detract and annihilate the original concept and design and represents a retrograde step.

The built design has a strong and positive feature in the important Town Centre conservation area and sits well with the adjacent listed building of The Assembly Rooms. It is also part of the Surrey Vernacular style.

The effect of the proposals, if implemented, not only a loss to the design concept will also have a negative effect of opening up, by the demolition of the screening which the unit 60 provides, in exposing the utilitarian rear servicing, playhouse loading bay and rear unattractive rear elevations of nearby South Street properties.

In summary ECS requests refusal of the application which would harm the CA if granted and outweighs the status quo.

Policies within NPPF 203c and 204; CS5; and DM 8 are positive reasons for refusal.”