Bid to extend Portsmouth city centre building Hippodrome House by two storeys is turned down

PLANS to increase the height of a prominent Portsmouth city centre building by adding two extra storeys have been refused.
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Guildhall Walk Ltd submitted plans for the extension to Hippodrome House in October, saying the scheme to facilitate 13 more flats would ‘reinstate the grandeur’ of the former theatre site.

The developer had previously drawn up plans for a three-storey extension but scaled back its ambitions in the face of concerns raised by the council.

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'The additional proposed development falls in line with other developments in the vicinity and, with much of the city centre undergoing a major facelift and the everchanging landscape, we believe the development is a thoughtful and considerate one,' it said.

How the extension to Hippodrome House in Portsmouth would have lookedHow the extension to Hippodrome House in Portsmouth would have looked
How the extension to Hippodrome House in Portsmouth would have looked
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But city council planning officers said the development did not comply with its policies.

'The proposed development would, by reason of increased height and mass, create an excessively bulky and overly-dominant roof form, which would be harmful to the character and appearance of the conservation area and the setting of the surrounding heritage assets,' the report said.

Concerns were also raised about the lack of any affordable housing provision nor any environmental mitigation in the plans.

Had permission been granted, the extension would have brought the total number of flats allowed in the office block to 58, following approval of the conversion of the existing floors in 2020.

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