"Stealth bomber" design bid deferred

Keith Standring added: "From an aesthetic point of view, the stealth bomber might be preferable...."

The United Reformed Church (Southern Province) Trust Ltd. had submitted two applications to Rother planning committee for the Cantelupe Road site.

One is for the erection of a "centre of worship and communal activities" on the present church lawn and the other for the demolition of St George's and the erection of 10 flats.

A third application is expected for the redevelopment of St John's Church in London Road and the adjoining Victoria Hall.

At last Thursday's Rother planning meeting, Cllr Brian Kentfield successfully moved the deferment of the two Cantelupe Road applications.

He said: "The reason is that I don't think this is the best use of the land."

Officers had recommended approving the new church but rejecting the flats scheme as overdevelopment.

Introducing the church application, planning officer Richard Wilson had described it as a "radical" proposal.

Cllr Kentfield said: "I am quite happy for us to grant approval for the church on that site. I think it is a good idea.

"But if you do it piecemeal you cannot make best use of the site."

A lesser housing development fronting Lionel Road would allow the new church to be built further away from Cantelupe Road, reducing its visual impact and allowing more off-street parking.

Cllr Strandring said there was a shortage of open space in Sackville Ward. "We need to preserve as much as we possibly can."

He said that the committee's site visit had shown that the applicants were seeking to cram as much as possible onto the land.

Referring to the church, he said: "It is an almost gargantuan proposal and where the existing church sits back with the green in front, this sits almost alongside the road."

He added: "I can understand the architect wanting to create a place of worship which is rather different than we are used to but if you live in that area this is going to be right in your face."

Mr Wilson told members there had been discussion with the applicants about a terrace of houses fronting Lionel Road, rather than the flats but nothing had come of this.