Angry residents in Burnham-On-Sea have this week stepped up their campaign to stop a seafront property being turned into a multi-million pound block of apartments.
Burnham-On-Sea.com was first to report in March how residents of Allandale Road are up in arms over plans to build a three-storey block of 14 apartments on Burnham’s beachfront.
The scheme at 17 Allandale Road was initially turned down by Sedgemoor planners last summer but the owners have appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and an inquiry is set to be held in Burnham’s Princess Hall on June 3rd.
Angry residents, pictured above, have organised a petition and won the backing of local councillors in their opposition to the scheme, which would see the demolition of the current property (shown below) and the construction of flats on two floors, plus a top floor penthouse, along with 20 parking spaces and a new access road.
An action group was formed to oppose the plans and around 150 people have signed the group’s petition.
The residents will be attending next month’s appeal hearing and will nervously await the Planning Inspectorate’s verdict later in the summer.
“The rapid turnaround of this appeal has taken us by surprise, but we are optimistic that we have done enough to stop the development going ahead,” said group spokesman Tom Ashton, who runs a guest house in Allandale Road.
Group chairman John Mackie added: “There’s a lot of strong feeling about this. None of us feel the scheme should go ahead. Sedgemoor made a decision last year and it was the right one.”
“The building line for the proposed property is far too close to the beach and such a modern block of apartments would be completely out-of-keeping with this area of Burnham.”
But Moose Roper Limited, the developers behind the scheme, claim the proposed building would “make a positive contribution to new housing needs in Burnham with a landmark building. This is a necessary development meeting housing targets on a brownfield site, which in turn protects the countryside.”
Our photo shows (top) Allandale Road residents and (below) the property which would be demolished
