Grounds of refusal for the first application of Crest Homes / BT :
Telephone House, York Road / Church Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1


 NOTIFICATION OF REFUSAL OF PERMISSION TO DEVELOP LAND
PLANNING APPLICATION NUMBER: tw/99/02211/ful/mjb
DATE VALID: 2nd December 1999
PROPOSAL: Demolition of office building and the provision of 42 new flats
LOCATION: Telephone House Church Road Tunbridge Wells Kent

Take Notice that the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, the Local Planning Authority under the Town and Country Planning Acts, HAS REFUSED PERMISSION for the development of land described as above and being in accordance with your application for permission dated 2nd December 1999 and that the grounds for such refusal are:-

  1. The proposal would have a significant adverse impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area by virtue of its scale, massing , roofscape, form, spacial characteristics, elevational treatment, building lines and impact on trees. It would, therefore, be contrary to Policies WK2, ENV15 and ENV17 of the Kent Structure Plan and Policies EN1(2), EN5 and EN6 of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan 1996.

  2. The proposal would have an adverse impact on the setting of listed buildings in York Road and Church Road and would, therefore, be contrary to Policy ENV19 of the Kent Structure Plan 1996 and Policy EN3 of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan 1996.

  3. The proposed Block 2 would have an overbearing impact on the amenities of No 27 York Road; the east facing elevation of the proposed Block 3 would have an unsatisfactory relationship with the existing building to the east, resulting in an low levels of privacy and an overbearing effect; and the close proximity of both blocks to York Road would have an overbearing impact on the residential amenities of the dwellings opposite. The proposal is, therefore, contrary to Policy EN1(1) of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan 1996.

  4. The proposal would involve the removal of significant trees which would be contrary to Policy EN1(3) of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan 1996.


Yours faithfully
Nigel Eveleigh
Planning and Building Control Services Manager
On behalf of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Dated: 27th January 2000


This letter was in line with the reflections and comments made earlier by the residents, in December 1999 and January 2000.



Continue to read about the Re-development of Telephone House


Planning Policy Guidelines, relevant to the refusal notification


The Telephone House Development in Tunbridge Wells - in 1999/2000/2001/2002/2003

The re-development of the Telephone House, York Road / Church Road, Tunbridge Wells



LINK to internet site of the Telephone House Neighbours Association - www.telephonehouse.org.uk

For more information on the Telephone House Debacle