Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Fairthorn

Thanks to Sally for reminding me about Fairthorn. I had already sent in my objection (twice, once by email and again by normal mail). But I had neglected to mention it here in the blog. So here goes:

Fairthorn is the monolithic structure erected on Townhead Road Dore, that dominates the views on the eastern side of Blacka. How it ever got planning permission God only knows (plus the Sheffield planning department and the sleepily inept councillors who are on the committee). The photo below was taken about a year ago when it was nearing completion.


Blacka Blogger's objection includes the following:

One of the most vital parts of Blacka Moor’s appeal is its favoured outlook onto the stunningly attractive green spaces and the small scale housing developments around Dore; sloping as it does, towards the east, Blacka Moor sees very little of the western vistas towards the Peak District and therefore the human scale and individually angled streets of the village complement the wild beauty of Blacka Moor’s heights where deer roam in their natural habitat.

A building as stark as this, even were it only half the size, would be an affront to those who have worked in the past to protect much of this area from inappropriate developments. As it is the completed building is grotesquely unsuitable and, should it be allowed to remain in this form, would send out a message that Sheffield is incapable of looking after its best and most valued assets. This development has absolutely no architectural distinction, which could be the only possible justification for its disproportionate affect upon the landscape. Materials used draw attention to themselves shamelessly – witness the window frames and the roof tiles.

Anyway we now have another chance to object. The developer has contravened the original terms of the planning permission by making it too high. This means a retrospective application has to go in and the whole decision can be questioned from first principles. Seeing that many of us did not know about the building until we began to see it from Blacka Moor and were suitably horrified, this is our chance to express our disapproval. I think objections have to be in by Monday 26th January.

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