Town council object to extension plans at Christchurch property

The proposal for 2 Watermead at 23 Willow Way has already gathered dozens of objections from residents, but now has another from Christchurch Town Council.

Applicant K Slater is requesting permission to construct a first-floor extension at the property, incorporating a rear balcony area.

Christchurch Town Council had objected to a previous version of the scheme, which went on to be refused by BCP Council in August 2022, and was dismissed on appeal in June 2023.

The existing property at the site (Image: Chapman Lily Planning) At the time, the town council’s planning and regulatory committee raised concerns over the ‘design, height, mass and bulk’ of the proposal, warning it would result in an ‘overbearing relationship with neighbouring properties’.

According to a statement prepared by Chapman Lily Planning, the applicant amended the plans ‘substantially’ in order to overcome issues raised.

Changes made included reductions to the extension’s width and bulk, and making the roof slope downwards to ‘soften the appearance’ of the height.

The revised scheme was discussed by Christchurch Town Council at the planning and regulatory committee meeting on June 18.

Proposed visuals (Image: Chapman Lily Planning)

Members received a presentation from Acting Assistant Town Clerk, Zeynep Aktuna, which covered the hauls of objections the application had received from residents.

While some representations flagged ‘minimal changes from the original scheme’, others were concerned over the ‘potential for noise disturbance and light pollution’ and the ‘negative impact on local wildlife’.

The meeting minutes read: “During the discussion of the proposal, members acknowledged the significant negative impact it would have on the living conditions of neighbouring residents, particularly affecting the outlook for numbers 3, 5, and 22, which would be overshadowed.

Refused version of the scheme (Image: Chapman Lily Planning)

“The committee recognised the unique layout and design characteristics of the Watermead estate, which contribute to a well-balanced residential amenity, and expressed concerns about the potential damage to the amenity of immediately adjacent properties that this proposal would cause.”

The committee agreed that the new application ‘failed to address the concerns’ it had previously raised, and said the proposed changes were ‘minor and did not effectively address the critical issues’.

It was resolved that Christchurch Town Council would raise an objection to the latest scheme on these grounds.