This boarded-up island site is in the centre of Clifton Village. Former occupants included WH Smith and Splinter’s Café. THAT Group’s (the developer) proposal is the fourth to redevelop the site. The image shows the replacement building. On the ground floor would be shops, a café, a restaurant with offices on the upper floors. Historic England and the Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society oppose the proposal. They say that the design is inadequate for this sensitive location.
The Society supports the principle of this site’s long delayed redevelopment. We anticipate that the Council will consider the now expired 2013 planning consent to be an important factor. The 2013 scheme and the current proposal were for buildings of similar height and mass. The Society has offered comments to improve the scheme. We suggest that the first floor be set back or articulated into bays by a vertical architectural feature. Another suggestion is to introduce a vertical element in the glazing of the first and second floor bays to enhance the vertical character of the elevation and reflect the local character. In this sensitive location the plant should be inside the building and not in a roof-top enclosure. We welcome the space in front of the building. A line of planters will divide the pavement from the private spill-out space. Shared-surface highway improvements in Boyce’s Avenue and parts of King’s Road are also welcome. Read more in the full response.
John Frenkel
johnfrenkel5@gmail.com
