Courtman House saved

6.12.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Jun 2008

Maltese Road resident Bob Huntington in front of Courtman House, discussing its future with Marconi Councillors Jude Deakin and Graham Pooley (right), and Chelmsford Parliamentary Candidate Stephen Robinson

Maltese Road residents and the local Lib Dem councillors have reacted with joy at the planning Inspector's decision to save Courtman House from demolition. This follows a long battle involving most residents of the road, writing letters and petitions and attending meetings.

Local councillor Graham Pooley said, "I am delighted with the Planning Inspector's decision to dismiss any proposal to demolish Courtman House. It is very good news that developer plans to cram more and more into every possible site will not always succeed.

"I would like to thank the many residents who have spent much time over more than a year, working to save this valued part of the Maltese Road. They deserve this victory. They coordinated admirably among themselves to present the case to best advantage - forcefully but always reasonably. They, together with Jude Deakin and me as their Borough Councillors, persuaded the Council and then the Inspector to save Courtman House.

Let us hope the decision has implications for other possible sites. The Inspector found that the proposal would "create an over-dominant building detrimental to the character and appearance of the area". We have seen too many examples where the Council has put the supposed 'need' for yet more new flats ahead of what is suitable for neighbours and the street scene.

"The Council's decision to permit forty-two flats on the old Chrysler-Jeep Garage site on the corner of Rainsford Road and Parkway remains an outrage in the minds of many residents.

"The Courtman House decision suggests the Council's planning officers and the Planning Committee can be more confident in judging some applications to be over-intense. Hopefully the council will now feel able to reject the proposal for the corner of Rainsford Avenue and Rainsford Road, expected to be decided later this summer."

Related Link:

Courtman House - Inspector's decision report.