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Hon. Secretary
First of all, I am very pleased to report that, following my appeal in the Autumn Newsletter, I was able to send to the British Library a complete set of the Society’s publications. These wonderful source documents will now be available to anyone in the future who is undertaking research on Gosport or the surrounding area. Thank you to those members who were kind enough to donate personal copies. We had a few of the more popular publications to spare and these we have donated to the Local Studies Centre.
The Annual General Meeting has come around again, far too quickly! The current officers and members of the Committee are as follows:
Chairman: Mr Adrian Knight Vice Chairman: Mr Roger Mawby Hon. Secretary: Mrs Sue Read Hon. Treasurer: Mrs Doreen Pladdys Social Secretary: ) Mr Brian Pladdys Membership Secretary: ) Marketing Manager: Mr David Read Committee Members: Mrs Anne Bragginton, Mr Geoff Sharpe Mr Paul Hutton-Dunton, Mrs Joyce Upperton
Mrs May Bumford also provides secretarial support to the Planning Sub-Committee.
Adrian Knight will be stepping down as Chairman, and Roger Mawby has volunteered for the hot seat. If any of you are interested in joining the Committee or wish to nominate a member, please complete the enclosed Nomination Form and let me have it by 9th June 2010, in time for me to prepare voting papers, if an election is required. As usual, may I remind you that we cannot accept proposals from the floor at the AGM itself? Sue Read - Hon. Secretary Planning Sub-Committee
The Planning Sub-Committee has met several times since the last newsletter and inspected an exceptional number of planning applications, about 46 in all. Some of the more significant applications are listed below:
Haslar Hospital Site Four applications have been received recently for change of use: Haslar Terrace (Officer’s Terrace), a pair of semi-detached houses to be let as residential units for five years, and building No.40 (Zymotic building) to be retained for office use. The latest proposals are for Albert Block and the Senior Rates mess to be used as accommodation for mature students from Portsmouth University. These modern buildings can be seen at the end of Haslar wall, Dolphin Way. The proposals have now been approved by Gosport Borough Council. If you wish to see the plans for Haslar, and other news concerning the site go to, www.royalhaslar.com. The ‘Time Team Special’ about Haslar archaeological excavations is to be shown in September.
Royal Clarence Yard The application for internal alterations to the ground floor of the Granary and Bakery, to facilitate use as a restaurant, has been approved by the Council. The nine original ovens are to remain as a feature in the new restaurant. We are also expecting a similar proposal for the Slaughter House. The new development in the centre of the site is now well underway.
Priddy’s Hard Earlier in the year we supported a proposal for minor internal and external repairs to the roof of the Grand Magazine in Explosion! Museum. The latest proposals from the Portsmouth Naval Based Property Trust concern the installation of a floating berthing pontoon and access brow for a water bus at South Jetty, Forton Lake. Gosport Society has always advocated the use of water transport for visitors to Explosion! Museum. We await further proposals concerning listed buildings on the site.
Fort Gilkicker Some of the Committee attended the three day Public Inquiry into the planning application for Fort Gilkicker. The Inspector concentrated mainly on the issues of flooding, hearing evidence from both the Environment Agency and the developer, Askett Hawk Development. The Inquiry will resume at 10am on 19th May 2010 at Explosion! Museum.
Battery No.2 Stokes Bay The Historic Diving Society has applied to use the Battery as an archive store and Visitors’ Centre. If the lease is granted and the proposal approved, it is hoped to open during Heritage Open Days in September. The website for further information about the Society is www.thehds.com
Waterfront Quay, 74 High Street We agreed to a proposed change of use for this building, from Night Club and residential accommodation to a nine-bed hotel and ground floor restaurant, but commented on a lack of parking provision.
19 High Street and I North Cross Street (previously Halifax Estate Agents) A proposal to convert the upper floors into five flats, and the ground floor into an amusement centre caused us some concern. However, it is a large building on a corner site, and has been empty for many years, and in the absence of a retail business applying to use the building we had no grounds for any objection.
Railway Station Earlier in the year we received a revised plan for minor changes to the agreed design for the roof, parapet and balustrade, to which we did not object. The development has progressed quite rapidly and should be finished this year.
Daedalus The owners of the site (South East England Development Agency) have now completed a Conservation Management Plan. This site is not progressing as we expected and we await further proposals.
Conservation Areas Work on the appraisal of Conservation Areas, which was put on hold last year, has now been taken up by our new Conservation and Design Officer, Alexandra Rowse. She is currently researching Alverstoke.
Public Houses The Royal Arms has been sold, although we still have not received a planning application. The building is listed and in a Conservation Area, therefore the exterior and interior of the building is protected. The Railway Inn, King’s Head and The Three Tuns at Elson are all up for sale. We will do our best to make sure these historic buildings are saved and restored. May Bumford
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