Priest hits out at 'horror' of 109 student flats bid for former sorting office (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Priest hits out at 'horror' of 109 student flats bid for former sorting office
2:10pm Monday 17th December 2012 in News By Melanie Vass
Father Bruce Barnes
A CATHOLIC priest fighting plans to build student flats next to his church home in Bournemouth has labelled the proposed development “a horror story”.
Father Bruce Barnes, the parish priest at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Richmond Hill, is concerned that residents’ privacy will be shattered if the plans for 109 student flats go ahead.
The proposals seek to demolish the existing five-storey former post sorting office in Albert Road and replace it with shop units, an outdoor terrace and 109 student units for mature foreign language students.
They will go before a planning committee meeting today with a recommendation to refuse.
Father Barnes, who along with another priest resides at the church, said he hoped councillors accepted that recommendation.
He said he was concerned that little consideration had been given to the effect the development would have on them.
“We will be affected by the size of the building, which will be eight storeys high, and according to the plans there will be spiral staircases and windows overlooking our property and garden,” he said.
“There will only be four feet between my back gate and their back entrance. And the garden that separates us is place that people sit, meditate and enjoy quiet times.
“We also run a serenity group for drug and alcohol addicts in rehab. Their anonymity should be safeguarded. Altogether it’s an absolute horror story for those who live next door.”
He added the contemporary plans did nothing to respect the conservation area, which he said was already in a shabby and neglected state.
The applicants Poets LLP were approached for a comment but did not respond.
Town centre councillor Bob Chapman said: “I’m desperately keen to see something happen to that post office building but the scheme has to be right.
“With the exception of Bath Travel, Albert Road is empty. I want to see some redevelopment of the post office sorting office as soon as possible but the question of overlooking the presbytery has to be addressed.”
Comments(22)
Horridbloke
says...
3:06pm Mon 17 Dec 12
1) Provide accomodation for twenty or thirty houses worth of students, thereby reducing pressure on Charminster and Winton.
2) Make Bournemouth _slightly_ less desirable to druggies.
I'm struggling to see the problem.
tricky1007
says...
3:16pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Horridbloke wrote:wont help winton or charminster this is for foreign student not bournemouth uni students, whether its good or not for bournemouth i am not sure, i think bournemouth is beyond repair!
So this development will:
1) Provide accomodation for twenty or thirty houses worth of students, thereby reducing pressure on Charminster and Winton.
2) Make Bournemouth _slightly_ less desirable to druggies.
I'm struggling to see the problem.
Duckorange
says...
3:23pm Mon 17 Dec 12
djd wrote:Spotter's Badge.
Isn't this the same person who didn't want the homeless shelter in his church ???
http://www.bournemou
thecho.co.uk/news/89
49777.Church_closes_
door_to_homeless_ser
vice/
jobsworthwatch
says...
4:03pm Mon 17 Dec 12
BIGTONE
says...
4:07pm Mon 17 Dec 12
SeafaringMan
says...
4:49pm Mon 17 Dec 12
susi.m
says...
4:58pm Mon 17 Dec 12
BIGTONE wrote:Students dont pay council tax - they are exempt
109 community charge incomes.........no brainier.
muscliffman
says...
5:34pm Mon 17 Dec 12
SeafaringMan wrote:Umm, nearly are, but I notice the photographer either fell down a man hole in the pavement or the priest is about 20' tall.
Missed a point here ECHO, his arms aren't even folded!
But who actually cares what these odd men in frocks with their strange beliefs think about anything nowadays - seriously.
manyogie
says...
5:37pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Horridbloke wrote:The problem is it's next door to him.
So this development will:
1) Provide accomodation for twenty or thirty houses worth of students, thereby reducing pressure on Charminster and Winton.
2) Make Bournemouth _slightly_ less desirable to druggies.
I'm struggling to see the problem.
'Love thy neighbour' springs to mind.
Letcommonsenseprevail
says...
6:23pm Mon 17 Dec 12
BIGTONE
says...
6:40pm Mon 17 Dec 12
susi.m wrote:Never said they did. The landlord will have to pay the equivelent and charge through the rents. So indirectly the students will pay. Either way it's income for jolly o'l risk taking gambling Bournemouth Council.
BIGTONE wrote:Students dont pay council tax - they are exempt
109 community charge incomes.........no brainier.
Money don't speak anymore.............
it screams.......
Djsmith8
says...
7:56pm Mon 17 Dec 12
whataboutthat
says...
8:32pm Mon 17 Dec 12
jobsworthwatch wrote:I have a dream that the hundreds of churches in the country are converted into homes. My local church is so huge I reckon you could get 25 households in it. Wahey.
Demolish the church too so as to make way for even more student flats!
jeebuscripes
says...
8:14am Tue 18 Dec 12
That photo makes he look pretty scary too.
If the Catholic church had a PR department they would definitely not have approved this story for publication.
jeebuscripes
says...
8:16am Tue 18 Dec 12
I would love a response from him.
Arthur Maureen
says...
11:27am Tue 18 Dec 12
hmmmmmmm
casual_observer
says...
12:48pm Tue 18 Dec 12
Thought that would have been right up the Catholic Church's street!
snowgoose
says...
4:34pm Tue 18 Dec 12
Mcfly77
says...
11:09am Wed 19 Dec 12
stevobath
says...
2:13pm Wed 19 Dec 12
Shouldnt he be doing good deeds & helping people instead of stirring up animosity?
What an example to set.
JustaRegularGuy
says...
8:47am Tue 25 Dec 12
djd says...
2:57pm Mon 17 Dec 12