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Published:
May 14, 2008
Residents step up campaign
over beachfront flats as 'D-Day' nears
Angry
residents in Burnham-On-Sea have this week stepped up their campaign
to stop a seafront property being turned into a multi-million
pound block of apartments.
Burnham-On-Sea.com
was first to report in March
how residents of Allandale Road are up in arms over plans to build
a three-storey block of 14 apartments on Burnham's beachfront.
The
scheme at 17 Allandale Road was initially turned down by Sedgemoor
planners last
summer but the owners have appealed to the Planning Inspectorate
and an inquiry is set to be held in Burnham's Princess Hall on
June 3rd.
Angry
residents, pictured above, have organised a petition and won the
backing of local councillors in their opposition to the scheme,
which would see the demolition of the current property (shown below)
and the construction of flats on two floors, plus a top floor penthouse,
along with 20 parking spaces and a new access road.
 An
action group was formed to oppose the plans and around 150 people
have signed the group's petition.
The
residents will be attending next month's appeal hearing and will
nervously await the Planning Inspectorate's verdict later in the
summer.
"The
rapid turnaround of this appeal has taken us by surprise, but
we are optimistic that we have done enough to stop the development
going ahead," said group spokesman Tom Ashton, who runs a
guest house in Allandale Road.
Group
chairman John Mackie added: "There's a lot of strong feeling
about this. None of us feel the scheme should go ahead. Sedgemoor
made a decision last year and it was the right one."
"The
building line for the proposed property is far too close to the
beach and such a modern block of apartments would be completely
out-of-keeping with this area of Burnham."
But
Moose Roper Limited, the developers behind the scheme, claim the
proposed building would "make a positive contribution to
new housing needs in Burnham with a landmark building. This
is a necessary development meeting housing targets on a brownfield
site, which in turn protects the countryside."
Our
photo shows (top) Allandale Road residents and (below) the property
which would be demolished
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