Access pledge for new homes on former NHS site in Wellington

Simon Langley of Bowring Developments was responding to objections to the development at Bowring Hall in Wellington.

The three-storey hall was previously owned by the National Health Service, but is now disused, and borders Bowring Park on its north and west sides.

Mr Langley said that the builders have worked with residents of nearby Carver’s Close, and will move a traffic island closer to their homes as a result.

He said: “We have the support of the council’s highways department and the local planning authority and hoped this development will be received in a positive light as it has been to the many people we speak to. When we purchased this site we had a clear vision that it would be for the down-sizing market and be in keeping with the area.

“We have a mixture of one and two bed flats that have been sympathetically designed to enable people with potential mobility issues to have a lovely spacious apartment. We have listened to concerns of the local residents and will be creating a central access and moving a pedestrian crossing slightly up the road, to allow older residents to still have a safe crossing point, in fact even closer to the warden-controlled Carver’s Close.”

The complete development would eventually include 16 homes, a mixture of one, two and three bed houses and flats.

The builders are also planning to add a lift for disabled people. Responding to other objections, Mr Langley said: “As for the density we have less than 26 units per hectare, not as one objector suggests 40.

“There have been no objections to putting up a six foot fence, it was encouraged by the neighbouring residents.

“We are mainly building bungalows which are in short supply due to the increased footprint compared to houses. “We’re local builders that are trying to bring back an old building. We want to maintain its original features. Over a year’s worth of planning has actually brought an old building back to life.”