A THIRD bid to demolish the historic former Salvation Army hall and replace it with homes has been made.
An application to transform the Scholars Lane building into four, three-bed terraced homes was withdrawn in July last year following opposition from residents to roof gardens included in the design, which were subsequently removed from proposals.
A revised bid was then submitted in February this year but councillors followed officers’ recommendations and opted to unanimously reject the plans for the town centre building.
The report by officers described the hall – last used by the Salvation Army in July 2012 – as an ‘undesignated heritage asset’, which they said added to the special interest of Stratford’s Conservation Area.
They also argued the proposal would “introduce a cramped and uncharacteristic form of development” which would be out-of-keeping with the area.
Officers maintained the planned homes would provide insufficient and inappropriate private space for future occupiers and added the benefits would not outweigh the potential loss of such an historic building.
But despite the previous refusal and withdrawal, a third and scaled-down version of the plans was submitted to Stratford District Council this week to turn the hall into three, two-bedroom terraced homes.
The application is currently in an initial consultation period and comments can be made by interested parties on the council’s planning website.
It is likely the application will be considered by councillors from the planning west committee next month.
