Three Wisbech councillors who objected over proposals to demolish Horsefair shopping centre multi storey car park have been left with egg on their faces after discovering it can be done under ‘permitted development rights’ and no planning permission is needed. The Wisbech centre’s owners NewRiver Retail also cleared up what they see is confusion over a suggestion they want to demolish the car park to make way for a new food store.
NewRiver Retail planning agent Hannah Wild told Fenland planners: “Our submitted cover letter is leading people to get confused regarding what is being proposed.
“The mention of the food store on the cover letter links back to a previous pre-application which my colleague had with the council and doesn’t form part of what is being proposed through this application.”
However, Fenland Council’s senior development officer Danielle Brooks told Ms Wild that the original letter will stay on the council’s planning portal.
Ms Brookes said: “Given that the original letter is already part of the public record for this application, and in light of the clear public and political interest in the proposed demolition, it would be remiss of the local planning authority to revise, and publicly available documents given the potential implications for the council in respect of transparency.
“As such the original letter shall remain public.”
Demolition of the Horsefair car park has provoked an outcry from some Wisbech councillorsDemolition of the car park provoked an outcry from some Wisbech councillors.
“As one of the local district councillors for the ward, I am opposed to this application for demolition of our multi-story car park,” Cllr Steve Tierney told Fenland planners.
His letter, endorsed by Cllr Sam Hoy and Cllr Susan Wallwork, added: “The parking is absolutely vital for users of the town and Horsefair shopping centre.”
But Fenland Council admitted today it had no power to stop demolition.
Cllr Dee Laws, Fenland District Council’s portfolio holder for planning explained that demolition of this type of building is permitted in planning law.
“The council only has limited powers available when considering this matter,” she said.
“We can only consider how the building will be demolished and the proposed restoration of the site afterwards to ensure the local amenity is not adversely affected.”
NewRiver Retail plan to demolish the car parkA council spokesperson added that during a ‘prior approval’ phase now underway, the council can only consider the details of the demolition rather than whether it should grant approval for the demolition at all.
“The purpose of prior approval is to give local planning authorities the opportunity to regulate the details of demolition, in order to minimise the impact of that activity on local amenity, but not to actually prevent or oppose the demolition,” said the spokesperson.
Cllr Laws added that the council was in talks with NewRiver Retail and any future redevelopment of the site would be considered under a separate planning application.
Demolition will remove parking space for 300 cars leaving Wisbech with 900 spaces in Fenland Council owned Chapel Road (209), Somers Road (286) Church Terrace (389) and 15 spaces in West Street.
In their objections, the three Wisbech councillors queried if demolition may be against the original planning application that built the Horsefair shopping centre.
Cllr Tierney said: “Although I haven’t seen those documents as they were years before my time, I feel sure that parking provision must have played a key part.
“That we have no certainty as to what the space would be used for if they went ahead with demolition.”
NewRiver Retail plan to demolish the car parkHe added; “It could stay as an empty building lot for years, becoming an eyesore, a danger, a magnet for antisocial behaviour.
“Although the applicants have suggested it might be for the building of a new supermarket, there is no guarantee this would actually proceed. I struggle to see how a supermarket could succeed with no very close parking, given the competition from other Supermarkets.
“Whatever the case, I feel this should be called in to the planning committee.”
The Fenland Council spokesperson confirmed that prior approval applications – such as demolition of the car park – are delegated to the council’s head of planning to consider “rather than being determined by planning committee”.
