Plans to redevelop builder’s merchants will ‘dominate view’

A BUILDER’S merchants is set to submit fresh plans to renovate a site in Henley after its designs did not win the full approval of the heritage officer.

Stark Building Materials UK wants to open a Jewson store on the former Gibbs and Dandy site in Reading Road.

The company, which owns both brands after acquiring Jewson in March 2023, wants to develop the site, comprising partial demolition of the current structure and alterations to the existing building.

Once completed, the existing Jewson branch at 99 Reading Road will close and the operations will be relocated to the refurbished site.

Stark wants to partially demolish the existing main building fronting and refurbish the external façades of the buildings with new timber cladding, roller shutters and metal sheet cladding over existing brickwork, as well as repairs to existing cladding and new customer entrance doors.

It has applied for permission for a covered racking storage area, used for storing wood and materials outside, as well as rationalisation of the site, including the relocation of nine parking bays, collection bays, sheltered cycle parking with six spaces, external storage and a servicing area.

Stark initially submitted its planning application in June. Last month, it followed up with amended floor plans and elevation drawings.

The company has now informed Henley Town Council’s deputy clerk, Steve Lambert, that it intends to make further amendments.

Rebecca Barnett, the heritage officer at South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, suggested design amendments as it did not make “a positive contribution” to the area.

Her suggestions included reducing the height of the building, moving it back to align with its original position, breaking up its massing and using additional planting.

Ms Barnett said: “The front single-storey element of the existing building makes the greatest contribution to the street scene currently. The height and massing of the proposed canopy area is significantly larger than this and would dominate views from Reading Road.”

Speaking at a meeting of the town council’s planning committee Councillor Ian Reissmann said that he “broadly” agreed with the views of the heritage officer.

“I hope the amended plans reflect a considered and complete response to [the concerns] of the site’s neighbours, who have also submitted objections to the plans. It’s quite a prominent site as you leave Henley.”

The committee voted to reserve commenting on the application until the new amendments were submitted.

Geoff Luckett, chair of the Henley Society, said he objected to the scheme, describing it as “overdevelopment” and “unneighbourly”.

He said the site would have an adverse effect on the street scene and requested that the frontal height was lowered to match the rear.

In the visual impact statement submitted alongside the application, Stark said that the scheme aimed to “uplift the visual quality of the site by replacing the outdated Gibbs and Dandy building with a more contemporary and refined structure.”

Stark said that the timber cladding used “softens the industrial nature of the site” and that the new signage and gates had been carefully selected as not to “overwhelm” the existing street scene.

It said: “We believe that the design will positively contribute to the streetscape, offering a more engaging and attractive visual presence than the current building, which is outdated, dull and under-utilised.”

Stark has requested to discuss its plans with the town council in October.