‘Protection’ given to villas on hospital site
Councillors grant ‘curtilage listing’ to prevent demolition for new homes
THE FUTURE of a controversial 107-home scheme in the grounds of a former city hospital is uncertain after councillors moved to protect two historic buildings on its site.
It was a small victory for more than 300 local objectors who claimed two villas - known as Fairoak and The Beeches - on the grounds of St James' Hospital in Milton, should be granted ‘curtilage listing’ to prevent them being demolished due to their proximity and links to the hospital and chapel.
It comes as part of Homes England proposals for 107 new dwellings that will also require the former Harbour School and Yew House on the site to be knocked down.
In a contentious debate lasting more than four hours at a planning committee meeting on Tuesday councillors narrowly voted that the villas should be granted curtilage listing – when structures gain listed building protection because they are within the grounds of other listed buildings.
Giving a deputation Milton representative, Councillor Ben Dowling, said: 'We believe there is an intrinsic link to the hospital because of the way they were used when they were built. Although physically separate they are attached in terms of use.'
In 2019 a decision on the 107 homes was deferred by councillors after the issue of the villas was raised.
Since then a report was compiled by a Queen's Counsel that ruled the buildings should not be granted curtilage listing.
However, objectors claimed the villas actually dated from 1907 and not between 1926 and 1932 as council officers said.
A deputation from residents Kevin Doyle and Viola Langley, who live near the hospital, was read out during the meeting.
It said: 'The officer's recommendation to disassociate the pair of Edwardian villas Fairoak and Beeches from the Grade II-listed buildings is misplaced, erroneous and in part mischievous.
'Planning officers were made aware of the true age of the villas by the Milton Neighbourhood Planning Forum as long ago as May 25, 2018 when they wrote to the then head of development control Ruth Ormella and Claire Upton-Brown.'
This raised doubts with members of the planning committee.
Cllr Judith Smyth said: 'I don't think I can make a decision using a report that has some facts that might or might not be wrong.'
A motion to defer the decision and gather further evidence was voted down, but a motion to grant curtliage listing received five votes in favour, while four councillors abstained.
The developers can appeal the decision and can still bring forward a planning application for the homes that could include demolishing the villas for consideration at a future meeting.