Kingswear "Signal box"

[55003]

From the Dartmouth Chronical:

Steam railway plans opposed

COUNCILLORS have unanimously rejected plans for a railway station office building that has already been built.
Members of Kingswear Parish Council’s planning committee said the building at the village station was ‘contrary to the characteristics of a conservation area’.
In addition they rejected a retrospective planning application for listed building consent for removal of a rail track to make way for the offices.
The retrospective applications were submitted by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Company earlier this month after calls were made by local group Kingswear Action on Rail and Riverboat Development to ‘abide by the same planning rules as everyone else’.
The company had previously claimed it did not need planning permission because it was exempt as a railway business.

 

[Monty]

Considering the absolute hideous structures that we are propping up all over country these days they should consider themselves lucky the railway has tried to make the office look like a traditional GWR signal box. I think it fits in within the overall atmosphere around the station rather well, at least they didn't replicate a box built by BR in the 50s and 60s!

 

[transportphoto]

I'm guessing this if from the Dartmouth Chronicle here: http://www.dartmouth-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=37485 ?

Can you confirm?

TP

 

[55003]

Yes it was from the Dartmouth paper.From another local publication ,there seems to be a strong negative opinion regarding the railway in Kingswear.

 

[fgwrich]

Considering the absolute hideous structures that we are propping up all over country these days they should consider themselves lucky the railway has tried to make the office look like a traditional GWR signal box. I think it fits in within the overall atmosphere around the station rather well, at least they didn't replicate a box built by BR in the 50s and 60s!

I agree, and having looked at various pictures of the original box on Flickr - At least it's been designed to look like the previous box, albiet not in the same location.

I wonder what the future will hold for this then? I have to admit that whilst im not the greatest fan of the P&D for there attitudes towards running diesels, im pleased that they are changing / renewing the infrastructure on their line to a more GWR / Western Region style, as also witnessed by the new structure at Paignton, replacing the wharehouse with a platform feel that the previous structure had.

 

[Monty]

Is it ironic that I find that large modern yacht in the background of the picture to be more out of place than the signal box? Very strange the council seem more than content with a large large marina in the town than a traditional looking building that is loosely based on a structure that was there previously, money talks I guess.

 

[Express Link]

The Parish Council are not the Planning Authority that is the function of the District Council. Whilst the Parish Council has a say they are little more than an advisory body and although the District Council will note their views they may not necessarily agree with them particularly if a large number of people write in and say how much the “box” is in keeping with its surroundings.

If the District Council do go against the railway they can always appeal to the secretary of state.

 

[Tiny Tim]

I think there must be something more to this story. Have the parish council got the hump with the railway?