"Attacking our heritage"

PLANS to redevelop commercial buildings in Epping have been slammed by the town council as an attack on the town's heritage.

Owner Alan Poulton has submitted plans to demolish the row of shops at 1 to 7A Station Road and build seven residential units, and four commercial units, with parking for seven cars.

The plans met with a cool reception by councillors, at the last planning and general purposes committee meeting, who viewed them as another attack on the character of the town.

Committee chairman Olive Dunseath said: "We don't need another high-rise building.

"We're a small market town and mistakes in planning have been made in the past, with many examples of the town's heritage pulled down in the 1960s.

"We're trying to keep something of the old character."

Councillor Ken Avey voiced concern for the current occupiers of the shops.

He said: "There will be five shops available but the people who occupy these shops would not be able to afford them they would almost certainly lose business and leave the district."

Comments made at the meeting echoed concerns raised over a previous planning application for the same properties.

The committee cited concerns in 2004 over the effect on both the present occupants and on the town centre where they said the existing buildings "reflected the character of a rural small town."

Eugene Bryan, architect and agent for the owner, said: "The proposed plans are certainly in keeping with the town centre.

"The current building is out of character with the area and the proposed construction would fit in very well with existing buildings indeed would be a vast improvement."

Mr Bryan said the owner was keen to keep the present occupiers and had maintained constant contact with them throughout the planning process.

He added: "The committee is entitled to its opinion but I think it gets confused between the terms conservation and preservation. Just because a building has been around for a while doesn't automatically mean it has merit."

But Station Road tenant and Art Gallery owner Dee Alexander-Morgan disagreed.

She said: "I hope the plans don't gain approval as there is nowhere else that has such character. The art gallery works really well with this set-up and it's not just a business, it's part of the community."

A final decision will be taken by Epping Forest District Council.