Wellington Centre Appeal Rejected

Remember the Wellington Centre proposal? Well, it was rejected at appeal!

Aldershot Civic Society is delighted that the Planning Inspectorate threw out the appeal. This rejection supports our views that our town centre needs high quality developments that enhance what we all value about the town’s heritage. We’re talking to both the council and developers in town about ensuring that future developments are positive.

We’re really pleased that our community’s views have been heard and no doubt contributed to the right decision being made. Well done, everyone, for submitting your comments to both the original planning application and to the appeal!

The appeal was dismissed due to “the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including the setting of nearby heritage assets” – the “confident and striking” Victorian buildings in the Aldershot West Conservation Area. In particular the views of the Grade II* listed Wesley Chambers would be impacted by the “bulk and scale” of the proposal. You can read the full text of the Inspector’s decision here: http://bit.ly/2oWg7Sz

The decision upholds Rushmoor Borough Council’s decision to reject the original application. Here’s a blog post we wrote about our views on and our role in this: Wellington Centre proposals rejected