Developer ditches new bid to bulldoze house
Plans to develop an historic building which was at the centre of a councillor's corruption conviction have been withdrawn.
Developer David Sheppard submitted a planning application to demolish 22 St Helens Parade in Southsea to make way for flats.
It is the latest in a string of failed attempts to get planning permission for the site which date back more than four years.
Former Tory councillor Jezz Baker was jailed last year after being convicted of taking a bribe in return for his help in getting the go-ahead for the development.
Now Mr Sheppard has abandoned the latest of his repeated attempts to bulldoze the semi-detached building, which is in Eastney and Craneswater conservation area.
The new attempt to gain council approval involved him submitting two applications at the same time - one for eight flats and one for nine flats on the site.
It was due to go before Portsmouth City Council's planning committee yesterday, but was withdrawn after planning officers recommended councillors throw out the plans.
They said the design was not of a high enough standard for the area. And they said the developer had not made sufficient guarantee of contributions towards sustainable transport and open space.
Mr Sheppard told The News he withdrew the application to improve the plans in a bid to meet planners' requirements.
But councillors say the drawn-out battle for permission for the site should be stopped.
Cllr Luke Stubbs, Tory ward councillor for Eastney and Craneswater, said: 'Processing planning applications costs a lot of public money. The government should change the law to stop developers repeatedly submitting near identical plans.'
Former city councillor Jezz Baker was sentenced to 12 months in prison at Winchester Crown Court last September.
He was convicted of taking 500 from estate agent David Maunder in exchange for help with plans for 22 St Helen's Parade, Southsea, in January 2007. Mr Maunder was working for Mr Sheppard, who the court was told wanted to expose corruption in the planning committee because he felt members were biased against him.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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