Gurteens return to plans for factory buildings to be re-used
Friday, 16th November 2012.
Gurteens have announced they will be looking to redevelop their High Street factory site as an office hub – including their own offices.
They want to knock down the large sewing factory behind the main French Gothic building so that can be restored and brought into full use again. Its rear windows had all been blocked out when the the sewing factory was added.
The smaller north light factory, behind the other offices on the west side of the entrance, is an original building, which would be retained so a new use could be found for it in future years when the market improves – maybe even as a nightclub.
The ideas were explained to Haverhill Area Working Party meeting yesterday, by Bidwells on behalf of Gurteens, and are dependent on getting English Heritage to agree to changing the blanket listing on the site which currently prevents any demolition regardless of the historical value of the individual buildings.
But Martin Carpenter of Bidwells made it clear that Gurteens would need to retain both front and rear accesses to the site.
Planning applications could come forward in the spring, he said.
The company had gone through a serioes of rea-ssessments of the site over the past year and had returned to the development brief prepared a year ago.
There was no current market for a building like the north light factory, but it had to be retained because of its architectural importance.
However, the market might well change in the future and it could become desirable again for a new use, either quasi-industrial, or maybe even a nightclub.
Therefore, when the sewing factory was demolished there would be no specific plan for what would eventually go in its place, as a use such as residential could then prejudice the future of the north light factory.
Mr Carpenter and Gurteens' property advisor Chris Blake were questioned about the accesses by HAWP members. Cllr Paul McManus described both accesses as 'absolutely useless'.
"They are not even viable access points at all," he said.
Mr Carpenter admitted they would not be if one was creating the buildings now, but they were what Gurteens had and they needed to retain them.
Cllr Tim Marks said the entrance should be through the Cleales Yard car park by knocking a hole in Gurteens' perimeter wall.
Mr Carpenter described this as 'a possibility' but pointed out it would go across land in several different ownerships.
Town clerk Will Austin asked if there could be a new access at the back if the sewing factory was demolished and Mr Blake said that was also a possibility depending on the different levels involved.
They want to knock down the large sewing factory behind the main French Gothic building so that can be restored and brought into full use again. Its rear windows had all been blocked out when the the sewing factory was added.
The smaller north light factory, behind the other offices on the west side of the entrance, is an original building, which would be retained so a new use could be found for it in future years when the market improves – maybe even as a nightclub.
The ideas were explained to Haverhill Area Working Party meeting yesterday, by Bidwells on behalf of Gurteens, and are dependent on getting English Heritage to agree to changing the blanket listing on the site which currently prevents any demolition regardless of the historical value of the individual buildings.
But Martin Carpenter of Bidwells made it clear that Gurteens would need to retain both front and rear accesses to the site.
Planning applications could come forward in the spring, he said.
The company had gone through a serioes of rea-ssessments of the site over the past year and had returned to the development brief prepared a year ago.
There was no current market for a building like the north light factory, but it had to be retained because of its architectural importance.
However, the market might well change in the future and it could become desirable again for a new use, either quasi-industrial, or maybe even a nightclub.
Therefore, when the sewing factory was demolished there would be no specific plan for what would eventually go in its place, as a use such as residential could then prejudice the future of the north light factory.
Mr Carpenter and Gurteens' property advisor Chris Blake were questioned about the accesses by HAWP members. Cllr Paul McManus described both accesses as 'absolutely useless'.
"They are not even viable access points at all," he said.
Mr Carpenter admitted they would not be if one was creating the buildings now, but they were what Gurteens had and they needed to retain them.
Cllr Tim Marks said the entrance should be through the Cleales Yard car park by knocking a hole in Gurteens' perimeter wall.
Mr Carpenter described this as 'a possibility' but pointed out it would go across land in several different ownerships.
Town clerk Will Austin asked if there could be a new access at the back if the sewing factory was demolished and Mr Blake said that was also a possibility depending on the different levels involved.
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