A rotten High Street shopfront in Sidmouth – branded ‘dangerous’ by its owner – can be replaced after plans for a revamp were given the go-ahead.
Bradleys Estate Agent asked for permission to sympathetically overhaul the front of its town centre premises as it is in ‘very poor condition’.
East Devon District Council (EDDC) this week approved proposals for 119 High Street, which sits in the town’s conservation area.
Bradleys told the authority in its application: “The current shop front at our premises is of wooden construction which, due to age, is now in very poor condition.
“One area of the current construction is now dangerous as the large pane of glass is poorly supported and has in fact dropped 30mm.
“The overall appearance of the shopfront will not differ greatly from the current and will certainly have no impact on the conservation area.”
Plans for Bradleys Estate Agents in High Street, Sidmouth.
Planning permission was sought to replace the wooden framework and single-glazing of the shopfront with new timber framing and laminated glass – with the layout remaining the same.
Giving the green light under delegated powers this week, an EDDC officer said: “The reasons for replacing the framework and installing laminated glazing are understood to be because some of the framework is rotten and for safety reasons.
“A previous proposal to replace the timber with aluminium was refused and this proposal seeks to overcome the reason for refusal by proposing a replacement timber shopfront.
In principle this is acceptable because it would restore the shopfront in a traditional manner.
“While repair is generally preferable, the overall poor condition of the frame and the need for laminated glass for safety reasons justify replacement.”
Sidmouth Town Council supported the application.
Read more Sidmouth High Street news here.
