Former Burton in Gosport High Street likely to be turned into flats

Regen Gosport Limited has submitted plans to Gosport Borough Council for the redevelopment of 111-112 High Street to form 14 flats and a ground-floor shop.

The building was built in the 1930s and contains a foundation stone laid by Raymon Montague Burton, the company’s founder.

It has also recently housed QD's Live Lounge club.

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Council documents state: ‘The three-storey 1930s building has a stone/rendered frontage with strong architectural features and large windows, some of which are boarded up. The upper floors were previously a nightclub and two flats, whilst the ground floor was retail.

‘At ground floor level the proposals would include a 70sq m retail unit, with access from the High Street for customers.

‘At the rear of the shop, within the existing rear projection, four one-bedroom flats are proposed. Three of the units would have windows and the entrance facing east, with planters adjacent to the shared private access path. The fourth unit has windows facing south and its entrance facing east.

‘The upper floors comprise a mix of one and two-bedroom properties, with windows facing north, south and east, which comprise existing openings, some of which are proposed to be altered.’

Planning documents state the proposed alterations to the building are complementary ‘whilst also sympathetic to the surrounding assets’.

‘In light of the government’s decisions to promote the conversion of vacant inner-city commercial buildings into residential units, it is felt that this proposal is an opportunity for the local authority to promote good quality design which is both sympathetic and enhancing to the local conservation area as opposed to letting the building remain vacant and fall into a derelict state.

‘The scale of the proposal is considerate of its neighbouring properties and wider location and will create much-needed residential availability on a highly sustainable site.

‘All proposed dwellings will include secure cycle and refuse storage provision within ground floor level close to the rear access.’

Council officers have recommended that planning permission is granted subject to conditions. The planning committee will determine the application on Wednesday, June 7.