A bid to convert a hotel in Bracknell into flats being refused was among the big planning decisions made this month.
The conversion of the Fines Bayliwick House Hotel was voted down, meaning the developers will have to rethink their plan.
Elsewhere in Bracknell, the multi-million pound redevelopment of the council’s commercial centre was approved.
Additionally, a plan for 18 homes was approved at Winkfield Manor, which was rocked by a fire last year.
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The decisions were made at Bracknell Forest Council’s advisory planning committee on Thursday, December 16.
To view each plan in detail in enter the planning reference in brackets into the search bar of the borough’s planning portal here: https://planapp.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/online-applications/.
Replacement of Winkfield Manor with 18 homes approved (Bracknell app 21/00780/FUL)
A plan to replace the abandoned homes at Winkfield Manor with 18 new ones was approved.
The Manor House itself was damaged in a fire in April 2020, and terraced cottages in the grounds were also deemed uninhabitable.
Rectory Homes applied to build a 15 three-bedroom homes, two two-bedroom homes and a new four-bedroom Manor House.
READ MORE: Winkfield Manor house set alight in suspected arson
Cllr Tony Virgo (Conservative, Winkfield & Cranbourne) raised fears that the access to the development could become an ‘accident blackspot’.
It was also pointed out that there was a lack of affordable housing.
It was approved by 10 votes to three, with cllrs Robert Angell (Conservative, Bullbrook), Bhandari and Virgo voted against it.
Conversion of hotel into 11 apartments refused (Bracknell app: 21/00460/FUL)
A plan to convert the Fines Bayliwick House Hotel into 11 apartments was refused.
It would have involved converting the 21 guest rooms into new flats and an extension to the current building.
But it was refused over the parking arrangements to protected trees on the site itself.
Although he voted against it, cllr Colin Dudley (Conservative, Crown Wood), the chairman of the committee, did say that members did not have a problem with the principle of the conversion.
Only cllr Ankur Shiv Bhandari (Conservative, Binfield with Warfield) voted for it to be approved.
£4.8m redevelopment of council’s commercial centre approved (21/00853/3)
Bracknell Forest Council’s existing commercial centre will be completely redeveloped.
The plan involves demolishing almost all buildings apart from a single storey workshop, and replace them with a large new two-storey building providing workshops at the ground floor and office space on the first floor.
The £4.6 million redevelopment of the centre was decided on by the council’s executive committee in June but had to be approved by the planning committee, with nine members unanimously approving it.
The commercial centre is currently used a storage space for commercial vehicles and equipment such as lampposts and wheelie bins, and is also the base of the council’s partner organisations
Planning officer Jo Male said another portion of the site could see 115 new homes could be built on it in the future.
New flats to replace existing house in Crowthorne approved (21/00594/FUL)
A developer has successfully applied to replace the current Elim home in New Road, Crowthorne into four two bedroom apartments.
The apartments will be split into two two-storey small buildings, with each one coming with an open plan kitchen and living room area.
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However, cllr Tina McKenzie-Boyle said one of the replacement blocks would have a negative impact on neighbour’s privacy and said car parking in New Road is already full.
The plan was approved by 12 votes to two, with cllrs McKenzie-Boyle and Thomas Parker (Liberal Democrats, Wildridings & Central) voting against it.
Replacement of unoccupied home with two new ones approved (21/00808/FUL)
The owners of the Derryquin cottage successfully applied to replace it with two new homes, one with four bedrooms and another with three bedrooms.
They had achieved permission to replace the cottage in May 2020 (19/00594/FUL), but the homes applied for were made slightly larger, meaning they had to submit a fresh application.
The plan was approved unanimously approved by nine members of the committee.
Cllr Michael Brossard (Conservative, Central Sandhurst) said: “The changes are cosmetic. I’m supportive of the proposal that we should have two homes of modern design, which are ecologically friendly, it ticks all the boxes.”
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