As expected the latest Planning Application for the Red House in Whitchurch was approved by Basingstoke & Deane.
The application was an odd one as the applicant already had permission for the Change of Use to Residential following an Appeal.
In fact one of the Councillors at the Development Committee questioned this very point.
So why was this application submitted? You might well ask.
The Planning Inspector at Appeal had imposed a Condition saying:
The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision (4th September 2023)
But now Basingstoke and Deane's new Condition states:
The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of 3 years from the date of this planning permission. (13th June 2025)
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Windows are broken and frames are rotten through, while the rendering is falling off. Some years back the inside was in a less than poor state of repair with much decay and dampness. Each day the building is becoming more and more derelict with the costs of any renovation work to the historic structure and fabric rising.
It means there could now be a FURTHER DELAY of nearly two years before work has to commence – from 4th September 2026 to 13th June 2028.
It means more delapidation of the building and less likely the historic fabric can be kept.
It does seem to back up the 'Conspiracy Theory' that was suggested previously.
So why would a delay be beneficial?
The owner already has a history of not keeping to promises particularly over the broken pledge that funds from the houses built on the pub's car park would go into supporting the Red House as a pub. It is a well-known fact that it is cheaper to demolish a historic building and build new rather to renovate/convert. Is that the aim?
Is this a case of 'Running Rings' around the weaknesses of the planning system and the Councils?
Might there be a call for the Red House be demolished as the historic building works required would be claimed to be unviable because of deterioration caused by delays?
Previous article on the 'Conspiracy Theory':
https://thehappypint.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-red-house-conspiracy-theory-or-is-it.html
