Mendoza’s proposal to scrap the White Swan is - architecturally not in keeping with a Victorian local heritage asset
- endangers an 'at risk' conservation area

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The folks at the Charlton Society recently worked with the council to get the building locally listed as a heritage asset.

 

The White Swan is a locally listed building in a conservation area, that is designated “at risk” by Historic England, planning law says:

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“DH(h) (which states that proposals must ‘pay special attention to preserving or enhancing the character and appearance’ of the Conservation Area"

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If you take a look at the planning application, it proposes to;

1) Turn the pub into a supermarket

2) Add a two story rectangular flat roofed brick box on top of the existing building 

and 

3) Add a roof garden onto of the brick box over doubling the height of the building. 

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You might want to mention in your submission that this current application is not in keeping with the Charlton Village Conservation Plan as 

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it creates another retail unit without a viability plan or proving need for an additional unit. Mendoza’s heritage plan does not demonstrate how turning a community asset to a residential and retail property will preserve or enhance the conservation area.

 

The proposal to erect a two story rectangular box on the roof is visually not in keeping with a Victorian Gothic Building.

 

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You will have your own thoughts about how we work together to preserve the building and the frontage of the row of shops - so Charlton is not cast into perpetual darkness. 

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Matt Drewry, formerly Director of Lives of the First World War and our committee member has shared his original objection letter.