HS/FA/16/01010
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Use of the ground and basement floors of Block A, Block B and part Block C for a mix of D1 Doctors Surgery medical facility and A3 Restaurant use and the upper floors of Block A for D1 Doctors Surgery medical consulting rooms and associated office use.
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The Ice House, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, TN34 3DW
- Total Consulted: 1
- Comments Received: 29
- Objections: 7
- Supporting: 18
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Mr Dick Edwards
Comment submitted date: Fri 03 Feb 2017
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Comment submitted date: Fri 10 Feb 2017
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Comment submitted date: Fri 17 Feb 2017
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Comment submitted date: Fri 24 Feb 2017
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Comment submitted date: Fri 24 Mar 2017
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Comment submitted date: Wed 19 Apr 2017
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Comment submitted date: Fri 05 May 2017
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Comment submitted date: Fri 02 Jun 2017
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Comment submitted date: Fri 23 Jun 2017
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Comment submitted date: Thu 17 Aug 2017
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Comment submitted date: Sat 19 Aug 2017
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Miss Penny Beale
Comment submitted date: Wed 11 Jan 2017
I fully support this much needed medical facility for The old Town residents, and visitors too.
I understand that the need is likely to increase in the near future with the expansion of specialist Sheltered Accommodation at Torfield Close.
Unlike an hotel, there is little need for extensive parking facilities, there being bus stops and a car park nearby, and easy access for taxis, pedestrians and cyclists. Young and old alike can get there easily, as it is "on the flat". A rarity in Hastings.
A previous owner sold the Ice House to Magdalen & Lasher charity for community use. What better way to honour his generosity and foresight than to give us this amenity ably provided by our local visionary medical professionals.
Time has told us that no commercial concern is interested in converting this iconic building into a viable hotel, as it has stood vacant for years now.
Comment submitted date: Fri 18 Aug 2017
I fully support The Ice House incorporating the doctors' surgery with medical facilities, (plus restaurant), as these services are essential in this part of Hastings.
The idea of an hotel on this site is a thing of the past. Had it been viable, it would be one by now.
Tourism has moved on, as we can see with the rise in "home-tels" and "AirB&B" accommodation springing up. Hastings must evolve regardless of outdated policy documents, whether we like it or not.
We need the surgery. We don't need the empty unused building it has been for some years now.
Those who believe they will get an hotel are living in cloud cuckoo land.
Those who are threatening supporters with menacing tactics are over-stepping the democratic (and legal) boundaries.
Mr Polo Piatti
Comment submitted date: Wed 16 Aug 2017
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Cllr D Poole
Comment submitted date: Fri 11 Aug 2017
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Ms Sheila Bull
Comment submitted date: Thu 01 Jun 2017
I object to the Planning department's attitude to the above Surgery application with regard to Change of Use and car parking provision.
The editing out of 'and the Old Town Community' from the 2004 'Tourism' use in the latest version of the Hastings Local Plan for Rock-a-Nore has resulted in the refusal of the Change of Use. I am not surprised at the drafting error since I pointed out in my response to proposed changes on 15th November 2012;
'This latest Planning strategy is far more convoluted and inconsistent, making management of it by the Planning department impossible and reduces the whole business of Planning to guesswork'
It is madness to treat a drafting error as fact. We had this problem before with the omission of West Street from the Old Town Traffic calming scheme where every excuse was offered by Planning, Conservation and ESCC, until Jeremy Birch agreed it was a mistake and set about West Street's inclusion.
Regarding car parking for the above, many changes of use from Industrial to restaurant have been given along Rock-a-Nore Road but none, including the Jerwood, required any special parking provisions. It was assumed the Foreshore Trust would cover it, as did the original planning permission for the Ice House Hotel. Why the sudden change for this application, particularly as there is no special parking at present for the Roebuck Surgery?
Inconsistent parking criteria are prevalent in the Old Town, where from 2010 to 2014, 3 cars were allowed to park on 34 West Street without any kind of Planning permission, but 1 car under the building typical along West Street, was refused.
Since the resolution of this matter is beyond the Planning department, it is now time for Peter Chowney to act like Jeremy Birch and take responsibility on Hastings behalf for the drafting error and the muddle over parking, and grant the permission desired by the Community on the above project.
Comment submitted date: Wed 12 Jul 2017
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Mr Ivan Holgate
Comment submitted date: Fri 20 Jan 2017
I support the aim of Dr Namvar to improve the Health and Care facilities for the residents of Hastings.
TOURISM
The original application was refused partly because the original development was permitted in order to encourage tourism. Since the original planning application Hastings Council has been very successful attracting more tourists to the town with improvements such as the renewal of the pier and the amazing number of festivals and events throughout the year. Many tourists are attracted to the Old Town and the Stade areas.
Dr Namvar wishes to invest in the welfare of the local community by creating a health and welfare resource that would be appropriate for Hastings citizens in the 21st Century. The creation of a facility that would provide a range of health options including a pharmacy is to be applauded. This facility would clearly show that the Health and Welfare of the local residents is important to Hastings.
The proposed health facility would be a short walk from the Old Town facility. Many of the residents live on the East side of the Bourne which would make the proposed facility an easier facility to access. The area is flat and allows easy walking and there is already pedestrian facilities to cross the road. There is pavements providing for disabled people and people using mobility vehicles. The existing facility in the High Street has very limited parking and sometimes the pavement is not clear. There is a bus stop on both sides of the road nearby the proposed facility and the 100/101 Stagecoach service goes to Conquest Hospital, via the town centre and another bus service to the town centre and railway station.
There is a very good daily refuse service for the local businesses and the area is cleaned daily. I am sure that it would be easy to incorporate appropriate collection required by a modern health facility.
There is very good parking opposite the proposed health facility. Even in the very busy parts of the year when large numbers of tourists are attracted to Hastings there is always parking available in the morning.
Comment submitted date: Sun 04 Jun 2017
This is a supplementary comment.
The importance of the Ice House as a hotel has been raised because it is believed that extra visitors will increase footfall through the local businesses. I believe that the same extra, if not greater, footfall will be created by the change of proposed use to a multi-disciplinary medical facility. Many patients are accompanied by people not using the facility who may make use of surrounding business whilst being there. Many patients could also take the opportunity to visit a business who have not visited Rock-A-Nore recently or at all.
Businesses depend on footfall. This surely does not have to come from outside Hastings. Patients and non patients may well encourage family and friends to explore Rock-A-Nore. The resulting footfall may well exceed any hotel tourists and bring repeat business.
Mr Simon Mawer
Comment submitted date: Sun 02 Apr 2017
The current Roebuck surgery is clearly over-crowded and needs to move. Rock-a-Nore would be an ideal situation for a new surgery, providing much-needed space for improved facilities. The site proposed is close to bus stops and has good access to the Old Town (which is the area the current surgery serves). Furthermore it is close to bus stops and is on a flat, well-serviced roadway that could be easily accessed by people with mobility problems.
A modern, well-equipped medical centre is exactly the kind of facility the town ought to be aiming for here and I cannot see that there would be any conflict with the area's role as a tourist attraction.
Dr Linda Parker
Comment submitted date: Sat 01 Apr 2017
The submission is factually incorrect and misleading, I am not a party to this application, nor is the Hastings Old Town Surgery, and this a is fraudulent misrepresentation. I will be making a complaint to the planning department. I was the Senior Partner at the Hastings Old Town Surgery until the 31/3/17, and I am still the Registered manager.
The applicant and owner of the building is Ice house medical, a limited company wholly owned by Dr Namvar. There is no prior contractual relationship with Hastings Old Town Surgery as of the 31/3/17 or when this application was submitted.
I will further add that the plans as submitted are not an improvement on the current building, they show fewer consulting rooms (11 + a treatment room) than at the present Roebuck surgery, less waiting area and no increase in toilet facilities.
I am unclear from the application how an average of 2 patients per consulting room (patient, children carers, partners) per 10 minute appointment, excluding offices, will negotiate the lifts/stairs to ascend and descend using the lift between the 5 patient access floors.
If as I understand the offices are in fact GP consulting rooms, that makes around 70 patients per 10 minutes that will need to up or down in the lift or stagger up the stairs.
I can not see that patient ergonomics, fire evacuation or overcrowding with late running surgeries have been addressed from a public safety point of view.
Cllr James Bacon
Comment submitted date: Tue 21 Mar 2017
Dear Monica and Ele,
I have been contacted by a resident who is concerned about the doctors surgery in the Old Town and if planning do not allow this to go into the Icehouse, are we looking at alternative locations in the area.
I was wondering if there have been any alternative locations proposed if this doesn't pass at planning or are these currently being explored?
Many thanks.
Kind regards,
James
Miss Chrissie Daniels
Comment submitted date: Tue 14 Mar 2017
Planning application HS/FA/16/00416/KP.
Fulmars, 22-24 Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, TN34 3DW.
I am writing on behalf of Deep Sea Leisure PLC which operates Blue Reef Aquarium located on Rock-a-Nore Road.
We wish to object the proposal to use 22-24 Rock-a-Nore Road as a Doctor's Surgery with ancillary medical facilities including consulting rooms, dental consultant room and pharmacy due to a number of concerns.
Firstly I refer to the Hastings Borough Council Development Management Plan. The plan sets out a vision for the Old Town area. It acknowledges the area as a focus for a wide range of cultural activity, promoting small employers in the creative sector. It is our view a Doctor's surgery is not in keeping with this vision.
The plan recognises the Old Town as a Cultural Quarter (Policy CQ1). It states 'Development will be encouraged which will assist the further expansion of their role as centres for cultural and related leisure and business activities.' It adds, 'Proposals will be viewed in terms of their potential to enhance their attraction to visitors.' It is our view the proposed application will not assist with the cultural expansion of the area nor enhance the area's attraction to visitors.
A Doctor's Surgery and associated medical facilities is not in line with the vision laid out by the development plan and is not sympathetic to the cultural focus of the area.
We also raise concerns regarding access to the new development and the impact on Rock-a-Nore Road traffic, parking and pedestrian safety.
I refer to Policy DM4 of the Development Management Plan - General Access. Point A refers to safe access to the development for all users. Rock-a-Nore Road is narrow road with narrow pavements. As is already established and has led to an online petition, there is an ongoing issue with the road traffic levels during busy periods, especially during the school holidays - a key time for Hastings tourism.
Due to the high demand for parking in the Old Town, Rock-a-Nore car park is often full early in the day which causes gridlock along the road as people try to park and others try to leave. Hastings relies heavily on its tourist trade and the current issues with the road already generate complaints from guests.
The addition of the medical facilities will increase the traffic in the road as well as decrease the available parking available for visitors to the town. There is not adequate parking at Rock-a-Nore as it stands.
As is expected with medical facilities, patients, some with very specific needs, will need dropping off and picking up. There are no provisions on the road nor available space to add a drop off and pick up zone. There are also no provisions for vehicles to turn around. Policy DM4, point F, in the Development Management Plan states: 'Good accessibility for all, especially for people with a physical or sensory impairment.' As illustrated above the proposal will not be able to provide this.
Another issue is pedestrian safety. Rock-a-Nore Road pavements are already very narrow with high footfall. Currently groups of people who pass each other have to step onto the road to continue moving. With the additional footfall to and from the proposed surgery and as mentioned high levels of traffic, the addition of the medical facilities will raise pedestrian safety issues.
The existing infrastructure of Rock-a-Nore Road is inadequate to support the proposal. Referring to section 2.29 in the Development Plan which states: 'designs that put further reliance on travel by private car alone should be discouraged'. The proposal will put reliance on private car use. There is no bus route on the road and no facility to create one and no other means of accessing the road except walking.
The plan also states: 'The Council will take into account the effect on any development proposals on existing cultural activities and expect them to be protected.' With two museums and various other businesses, the impact of the additional traffic and movement will have a negative effect on existing activities.
Yours sincerely,
Chrissie Daniels
Cluster Manager
Blue Reef Aquarium
Rock-a-Nore Road
Hastings
TN34 3DW
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