People power saves Druitt Hall from demolition

9:14am Friday 4th January 2013 in Latest By Katie Clark

WORTH IT IN THE END: Supporters stand outside Druitt Hall which the council have decided not to tear down WORTH IT IN THE END: Supporters stand outside Druitt Hall which the council have decided not to tear down

A BATTLE to save a beloved community hall in Christchurch has been won after councillors refused plans to demolish it.

Members of Christchurch Borough Council’s planning control committee went against their own officers and refused the application to demolish it and replace it with a landscaped area, which included a tall sculpture, areas of seating and new trees.

More than 100 triumphant campaigners who have fought tirelessly to save the hall, packed out the council chamber to hear the decision on the council’s own application to its planning department.

Objectors had submitted a petition with more than 1,000 signatures as well as sending in 200 letters opposing the scheme.

During the meeting, planning consultant James Cain, representing the Friends of Druitt Hall and supported by Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, who has offered to fund a new hall, told councillors the Friends were working towards submitting their own planning application by the end of next month.

He told members a business plan was also being drawn up to support the hall and emerging application and said alternative facilities mooted by the council did not have the “same accessibility, affordability, or availability that Druitt Hall currently offers.”

Councillors were told permission for a replacement hall, approved back in 2008, said the hall should not be demolished until a replacement was built.

Mayor of Christchurch, Cllr Peter Hall, who proposed that the application be refused, said: “These are not detailed plans. these are very poorly presented and neither I or the other ward councillor are happy and can’t support them.

“Over 1,000 residents have signed a petition and 200 have written letters.

“Someone has agreed to fund a new hall and maintain the construction for three years.

“I have it on good authority that a room in the library will only cater for 35 and not be alternative accommodation.

“This demolition should be refused.”

His speech was met with cheers by the room of supporters.

Following the meeting, Elliot Marx, one of the Friends of Druitt Hall, said: “We are absolutely delighted the council have listened to us.

Comments(15)

point--of--view says...
9:33am Fri 4 Jan 13

An excellent result for Christchurch and it was great to see a planning meeting packed out with supporters trying to save Druitt Hall and Christchurch Hospital. It seems our councillors last night actually listened to local people and sided with them!

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Justin Black says...
9:54am Fri 4 Jan 13

Christchurch residents are now showing "Businessman" just what they thiink of him. Well done everybody.

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Niki1 says...
9:56am Fri 4 Jan 13

Excellent news. Well done to all those who supported the campaign to keep Druitt Hall.

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Victor_Meldrew_ Jnr says...
10:02am Fri 4 Jan 13

Dear Leader, do last nights results convince you that it is it time to respect the views of those who put you there as against telling us what we are having. This is an excellent result for the people of Christchurch.

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twynham says...
10:17am Fri 4 Jan 13

A very well done to all concerned.
.
Perhaps the Dear Leader will now put more effort into discovering what happened to the money which I and many others donated to the Buy a Brick fund.
.
Then again, maybe not!
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Also, many thanks to Katie Clark for her live tweets last evening.

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damnlion says...
11:23am Fri 4 Jan 13

Well done one and all, great result.
As a town centre resident I'm really pleased the bully boy tactics employed by the council, initially, have been overturned and they have finally taken note of those who voted them in !
Maybe time for 'the leader' to go ?
Here's hoping !

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jinglebell says...
11:43am Fri 4 Jan 13

Congratulations to all of Christchurch residents! The hall will continue to provide a very necessary space for residents.
I also congratulate the Council for changing their mind - they could have just dug their heels in and ignored the 1,200 residents but the Council voted for the community's wishes, which takes a lot of guts to do.
For us in Bournemouth, with our Boscombe Centre for Community and Arts, even though we had 938 objections and 770 signing a petition - so that's 1,700 against the Council's plan to demolish, the Council ignored our objections. Don't forget our BCCA was a legacy given to the people of Boscombe in 1878 and it states on the deeds that it will remain for our use "forever"....pity we don't live in Christchurch!

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richleyshon says...
12:23pm Fri 4 Jan 13

Presumably there is no truth whatsoever in the eye-witness account of workmen being sent into the hall to strip out facilities the day before it was due to be inspected to see if it met certain conditions ...

I mean, that would be a very, very bad and cynical thing for someone to do, wouldn't it?

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coster says...
12:33pm Fri 4 Jan 13

Well Done!
Now keep a keen eye on the other activities of our distant CEO.

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DorsetEco says...
12:35pm Fri 4 Jan 13

Now will the council let me hire the hall!!

I rang the Christchurch Civic Centre last year and was told by the person responsible for Druitt Hall that they were no longer taking bookings

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skydriver says...
1:26pm Fri 4 Jan 13

Well done the people of Christchurch, this is just to let the councillors know they DON'T own Christchurch we the people do, so next time listen to what we the locals want not what you want to do. After all we pay your fees and expences. Wemay well remember your actions next time it comes to vote.

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skydriver says...
1:31pm Fri 4 Jan 13

Now we must get it into the councillors putting up the car parking charges in Christchurch will not help the local economy, and it may well kill off people visiting after 6 pm with the free parking coming to an end from April, the charge will be a £1 .............what on earth do these people they are doing? When do we get the next vote?

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paul.p says...
1:02am Sat 5 Jan 13

*THUD*

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EGHH says...
8:31am Sat 5 Jan 13

Well done. Now the people of Poole and Bournemouth need to show their councils that they have the power not the Councillors.

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Crank says...
8:52am Sat 5 Jan 13

Well, at the end of the day it was the councillors who had the will to follow pubic opinion and not the officers.But another committee, which decided on the closure but needed the planning permission to enact it, has stated since that they will close the hall anyway at the end of March. So, a hall that can neither be demolished nor reused is in prospect. Please all attend the Resources Committee meeting 6pm 09 Jan to hear them discuss this, if you can. The Dear Leader needs to be made to feel most unpopular if this crazy situation is allowed to persist.

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