Winchester High Street: plans for flats at shops site

PPR Chichwin Ltd proposes 16 flats behind 149-150 High Street, currently occupied by CEX Entertainment Exchange and Fone World.

The plans propose retaining the shops, converting the first floor into homes, demolishing some of the existing structure to the rear and erecting a five-storey building to provide 16 dwellings, all with balconies and views across the city centre.

The plans echo those for further down the High Street which sees a five-storey building on the site of the RAOB Club on Cross Keys Passage.

Both schemes show how Winchester city centre land is being eyed by housing rather than commercial developers.

READ MORE HERE: Controversial plans to increase operation at recycling centre near Kings Worthy

The latest proposal site runs between the High Street and Silver Hill with part of the site, the empty former Lloyds Pharmacy on Silver Hill, just yards from the RAOB Club

The application has garnered support from former city councillor and planning consultant Ian Tait.

Mr Tait wrote to planning officers: "It is excellent to see this high-quality planning application coming forward. The central Winchester area is crying out for regeneration and seeing actual planning applications coming forward is so much better than the endless talking which has happened over the last 10 years.

"I have already commented in support of the current application for the RAOB building which is next to this site and I now see that the two schemes would work very well together. Kings Walk itself is a dominating building but of poor architectural quality unlike this proposal.

"Because of the desperate need to breathe life back into this very run-down area of Winchester, the planners need to take heed of how this scheme would work with the RAOB proposals. Cross Keys Passage is used as a public urinal (and worse) so getting residential development will help to deter/stop the anti-social behaviour."

So far one objection has been made, from Barbara Cooper, owner of Sunflowers Emporium in nearby Kings Walk: "The first is the height, five stories is taller than any buildings nearby and this has been a main thing brought up in previous applications in the area.

"The second concern is parking, 16 dwellings mean potentially 16 cars, there is no parking available nearby except the Tanner Street car park. I am aware there is a bicycle shed available for each property but nothing for cars. Surely all new builds should provide adequate parking."

SEE MORE: Bird flu cases confirmed in penguins at Marwell Zoo

There has been consultation with planning officers and a fee of £7,424 has been paid to the city council.

The scheme has been designed by Winchester-based firm, Architecture PLB.

In a statement to the planners, the applicant states: "The proposal comprises of 7x1bedroom dwelllings, 7x2bedroom dwellings, and 2x3bedroom dwellings. The dwellings would be of a high-quality with private outdoor amenity space in the form of balconies and good outlook and views out across Winchester.

"The large family units would be located at the top floors of the building with generous outdoor balcony space, and they would be triple aspect with south-facing living room windows. The majority of the dwellings would be two or three bedroom accounting for 56 per cent of the units. The central urban location is suitable for one-bedroom units for young professionals."