Council Object To Landmark Demolition

A proposal to demolish a Thame landmark has been rejected by Thame Town Council.
Described as ‘planning anarchy’ by one objector, a proposal to demolish the Essex House Hotel and replace it with two, new buildings comprising 12 appartments, illicited strong feelings at a meeting of the town council’s Planning committee last night (Tues, Jan 24).
Several letters of objection were read out at the meeting, mostly from neighbours in Bridge Terrace and one from the Cionservation Area Committee Advisory Group who stated that the present building “forms a visual ‘stop’ to Chinnor Road, warning of a change in direction of the road.”

The concerns of objectors included:
. Uncertainty over ownership of some of the land
included in the proposal.
. Insufficient parking.
. Demolition of ‘a sound and attractive landmark’.
. That some of the Bay windows planned would look
into neighbour’s garden.
. That some bedroom windows would over-look
neighbour’s garden.
. That traffic generated would cause noise and
pollution.
. Loss of access to the lane.

In another letter, Simon Gray of Park Street, stated: “This important building of Victorian heritage needs to be preserved.”

Cllr David Dodds said: “This is a very substantially important site with an extremely difficult egress and one effect of this proposal would be to generate more traffic and cause problems where there is currently a bus stop.”

The building was originally built as The Railway Hotel, at a time when Thame Railway Station was intended to be in Chinnor Road, and Bridge Terrace was constructed as cottages for the railway workers.

The committee voted not to recommend approval of the plans and agreed to look into having both the hotel and Bridge Terrace listed with English Heritage.