A battle to convert a former boozer into shops is back on after the developer appealed to the Government.
For more nine months, residents have fought Clareton Ltd’s plans to convert the Three Barrels pub in the Winklebury Centre into shops.
In February, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s development control committee threw out the company’s planning application despite being recommended for approval by borough planning officers.
Duncan Challis, the developer behind the proposals, said at the meeting he was confident that the plans would eventually get through.
He said: “The fact remains that the planning officers recommended this application for approval.
“So we are reasonably confident that our appeal to the Secretary of State will yet allow us to regenerate this building.”
But since the original planning application submitted in December last year, the proposals have met stiff opposition from residents.
In the Winklebury Centre the shops and flats are built around a central square facing each other, and away from Winklebury Way and the car park.
The proposed development would turn the stores around so they face outwards, to the road.
Winklebury campaigner Lea Jeff said the plans would destroy the community area. On May 9, Ms Jeff sent a statement to the planning inspectorate stating that the community are against the plans.
She said: “As I have said before to planners, the development is not keeping with the area.
“It’s a ridiculous plan, if they turned the shops around then there would be less of an outcry against it.”
And owner of Greenways Newsagents in the centre, Barry Dodds, from Brighton Hill, has fought against the plans.
“I am not against them becoming shops, just having them facing away from the square is damaging to our community,” he said.
The original plans were unanimously refused planning permission by development control chiefs because of the number of residents against it.
Since December 20, two petitions with 543 signatures and 24 letters of objection have been sent in to the borough council.
By the time the Observer went to press no date had been set for the appeal hearing.
