Lyme Regis: Concerns over plans to demolish former Holmcroft home (From Thisisdorset)

Lyme Regis: Concerns over plans to demolish former Holmcroft home

10:00am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Latest By James Tourgout

CONCERNS have been raised about plans to demolish a former care home in Lyme Regis town centre.

The proposals for the empty Holmcroft premises in Broad Street includes ten homes and come after an application for 13 apartments was refused by planners in 2010.

Now, the revised scheme is set to go before West Dorset District Council’s development control committee by the end of March.

Lyme Regis Town Council’s planning and highways committee has concerns about traffic and some nearby residents have raised objections about the impact of the development.

Coun Anita Williams, chairman of the planning and highways committee, said that her personal concerns and those of the committee include traffic problems while the building was demolished and site developed – especially in the peak season.

She said: “If it is handled badly it could be incredibly detrimental to our traffic management in what is going to be a busy year.”

She added: “During demolition there will be a lot of spoil to remove.

“There could be dust everywhere and it could be a real mess.”

Coun Williams said that there were concerns about the narrow streets and the impact of lorries having to manoeuvre in and out.

She added that they wouldn’t want to see parking spaces lost on the street to allow for the construction traffic.

Town council concerns lodged with district council have also included the traffic management for vehicles from ten extra homes after it is built.

Rufus Williams, whose flat is next door, has objected to the district council about the proposal.

“I believe it wholly inappropriate to have a new building of the suggested dimensions in this location, and in such proximity to our grade II listed building.

“The proposal neither preserves or enhances the character of the conservation area, while from an outlook perspective, the flat will be directly overlooked from the upper windows.

“Furthermore and from a logistical point of view, how does the proposal seek to justify the general disruption caused by the demolition and rebuilding process, and manage the very limited access to the site from a safety point of view?”

Paul Messer of Uplyme supports that plans. He says that the building is an eyesore and will be an asset to the town when it is developed.

The plans have been lodged by a company called Grovewind Ltd.

The application was on the agenda for the town council’s recent planning and highways committee on February 7.

A spokesman for West Dorset District Council said that it is likely to go to the authority’s development control committee in March.

No-one was available for comment from Grovewind Ltd.