Retirement home giant wins approval for flats

RETIREMENT homebuilder McCarthy and Stone has finally won a long-running planning battle over a sheltered housing scheme.

However local people who opposed the company's numerous applications and fought the plans at several appeal hearings believe the approved building will be "horrendous" for the town.

The scheme will see three properties in Epping High Road - numbers 19 to 23 - demolished to make way for the block of 28 apartments.

advertisementPlanning inspector Chris Hoult concluded that changes made to the layout and design following a previous refusal had dealt with issues surrounding the impact the building would have on the area.

He added that district council concerns regarding harm to the character and appearance of the area were "unfounded" and said that "in spite of its large size the proposed building would have a sympathetic presence in the street scene and that the loss of gaps between dwellings would not give rise to harm".

However neighbours are angry that the "big boys" have finally won the day.

Ann Miller, who lives near the site, said: "I'm very sad to see three homes destroyed along with their gardens which provide a lung for birds and insects which on a main road make it a pleasant environment in which to live.

"I feel it was inevitable that McCarthy and Stone would win. Big boys have clever barristers."

Town council planning and general purposes committee vice-chairman Olive Dunseath [Liberal Democrat] said she was "very disappointed" at the decision, adding: "If you're going to have a building the size of Tesco rather than three houses with gaps in between it's not going to look very elegant.

"It would be very good if Epping stayed more or less the shape it is. This is going to look rather horrendous."

Mr Hoult said the proposal would "meet an identified need for specialist housing for older people in the area and further the government's strategic objective of creating sustainable and mixed communities".