Agenda item

To determine the application.

Niki Carter presented the report to members.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Councillor Mrs French, the Ward Councillor for the application site and a member of both the March Future High Street and March Area Transport Study boards. Councillor Mrs French stated that members will have seen with their own eyes the transformation of March Town Centre using external grant funding from Government and the Combined Authority which has reinvented Broad Street, the riverside and Market Place. She added that grants have been given to property owners to improve their buildings and bring empty floorspace back into use with the Broad Street project, seeing the Listed Fountain relocated and the war memorial which is now surrounded by high quality public realm rather than sitting in the middle of the road.

Councillor Mrs French explained that, as a result of the transformation, the project has been shortlisted for the National Transport Awards in October 2025 in the exemplary approach to active travel and public space category. She made the point that it is often mentioned about the spiralling costs of public sector projects, and she stated that the Broad Street project was delivered on time and under budget, with the budget stretched delivering more through creative and prudent financial management including the redevelopment of the area outside Iceland which was an eyesore as well as additional car parking spaces in City Road.

Councillor Mrs French stated that it is important for the committee to understand the background when considering the application before them, Barclays Bank site has always been seen as the final piece of the March Town Centre regeneration jigsaw and the site was purchased using the Future High Street grant money, with the building being used as the site office and compound throughout the project. She referred members of the committee to the Council’s own March Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan which describes the Barclays building as a negative frontage which has a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the streetscene and the March Conservation Area.

Councillor Mrs French stated that the Conservation Officer has referred to the site’s brutalist architecture but, in her view, the residents she has spoken to consider that the building is an eyesore and they cannot wait to see it demolished. She expressed the opinion that if an application were to be received for this type of design or building in any Conservation Area, she believes it would be refused by the Council.

Councillor Mrs French stated that the application is supported by a heritage report which has been prepared by a specialist conservation consultant which justifies the demolition, expressing the view that the conversion of the building is unviable, and it is not something that the residents of March want to see. She added that the residents want to see a new building which is befitting the setting which has been created, and it will be the jewel in the crown for the Broad Street project.

Councillor Mrs French added that Planning Officers appear mainly concerned with regards to the next steps in terms of a redevelopment scheme and she stated that when considering a redevelopment scheme, members need to be reminded that the Council owns the site so it is in the Council’s control regarding what happens next as a local authority and also as the land owner then there are two opportunities. She explained that the Council will also maintain the site and provide whatever design of fencing is needed with the potential of including artwork to ensure it is attractive and once the building has been demolished using the grant then the Council’s property officers will be tasked with finding a developer who will deliver the aspirational scheme which will be insisted upon.

Councillor Mrs French stated that demolition of the building will now raise a value and significantly improve its viability, with it, in her opinion, being undoubtably the best redevelopment site in March because of what has already been delivered around it and there has already been a number of approaches from potential developers. She made the point that she is struggling to understand why officers want to try and protect a building which they and the Council have publicly stated has a negative and detrimental impact on the area.

Councillor Mrs French asked the committee to approve the application in order for the completion of the March Future High Street for the benefit of the residents and visitors to the town.

Members asked Councillor Mrs French the following questions:

·         Councillor Marks asked for confirmation as to when Barclays Bank finished operating from the site? Councillor Mrs French stated that the building was empty for approximately 18 months before the Council purchased the site and she added that nobody else was interested in buying the site.

·         Councillor Marks stated that following the 18-month period it was used as a site office for the regeneration of the town centre. Councillor Mrs French explained that it is still being used as a site office by the contractors as there are some extra bollards which require installation.

·         Councillor Marks stated that when the new toilet block came before the committee, discussions took place with regards to elements on anti-social behaviour which had taken place in the vicinity of the bank site and he questioned whether that was still perceived to be an issue? Councillor Mrs French stated that she does not know because there is fencing erected currently, but the long-term plan would be to erect further fencing and install CCTV.

·         Councillor Gerstner asked whether there is any indication on the cost implication to leave the building as it is rather than demolish it when considering the public purse? Councillor Mrs French stated that if the Council try to sell it then it is not viable for anybody to buy it, whereas if it is demolished then it is worth significantly more.

Members asked officers the following questions:

·         Councillor Gerstner asked officers if they can advise of the cost implication of keeping the building on the site as opposed to demolishing the building and it being a flat piece of land? Matthew Leigh explained that whilst a viability report was received concerning the delivery and viability of the scheme, officers have not been provided with information in relation to costs, however, such information would be given very limited weight.

·         Councillor Gerstner asked whether there are details concerning the costs being incurred at the current time for security and business rates? Matthew Leigh explained that such information has not been provided, and it would not be a material planning consideration when determining the application.

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Marks expressed the opinion that he feels that building is a blot on the landscape compared to the updated March town centre. He added that it a 1980’s building and is very out of character and he understands that there are two Grade 2 Listed Buildings beside it. Councillor Marks stated that his biggest concern is around the issue of security and he referred to the presentation screen and explained that in photograph number 3 it shows the windows which are blacked out on the vacant WH Smith site, where there is a homeless person living in the doorway and he fears that in the winter that premises will be broken into and cause a fire or somebody may try to live in the building. He stated that he has fears over squatters breaking into the site and, in his view, it does not bode well to leave the application site standing empty and whilst he appreciates the building could be made secure, he questioned who would want to purchase a building like that. Councillor Marks expressed the view that there are so many empty properties when you look in March and Chatteris including one on Bridge Street which has a hole in the roof because nobody can afford to do anything with it and as a result stands empty becoming more derelict. He stated that he would hate to see the Barclays building end up in a state of disrepair, which would end up letting down the rest of the town centre which has had a significant amount of money spent on it. Councillor Marks expressed the view that when people visit the Town Centre they now drive through and comment on the improvements. He stated that the building is an eyesore and whilst the fencing will not look very pleasant, it will give scope for future works to take place and the quicker the building is demolished the better.

·         Councillor Sennitt Clough stated that as with any planning application consideration is given to the public benefit versus the harm and, in her view, the building is not offering any public benefit and there is a chance that it could present an opportunity for people to congregate there and cause anti-social behaviour. She expressed the opinion that a sensitive regeneration of the site would result in a lot of public benefit and would outweigh any harm which may be caused from a demolition process and taking into consideration that war memorial which is located close by. Councillor Sennitt Clough stated that she will support the demolition of the building.

·         Councillor Connor expressed the view that the building needs to be demolished as soon as possible. He added that contractors are still using the building a site office until all the town centre works are finally completed but the building is a blot on the landscape in his opinion. Councillor Connor stated that he is certain that if the building is left, it will suffer from the risk of attracting squatters, will be stripped of all metals and have all the glass broken and will become unsafe. He likened the site to that of the disused George Public House in March which has been subject to vandalism and anti-social behaviour and expressed the opinion that he will wholeheartedly support the demolition of the building in order that something better can take its place sooner rather than later.

·         Councillor Marks referred to the point made by Councillor Mrs French in her presentation where she had explained that the building had been marketed for 18 months, however, it did not sell. He expressed the view that he believes that the Council wanted an area to work within, and it provided a good way forward at that point in time. Councillor Marks stated that had there been an interest in the building where somebody believed they could use it for another purpose then it would have been sold within the 18 months so he fully supports the demolition.

·         Councillor Connor stated that it as a very prudent move and a good decision which was made by the Council to purchase the building through the regeneration of the town centre as it saved a great deal of travelling by the contractors and meant that there was somebody on the site all of the time. He added that it now needs a good decision by the committee to agree to demolish the site and get something done with it.

·         Councillor Gerstner made the point that he feels it will be very difficult to market the building as its structural report alludes to the fact that the building contains asbestos which will be very costly to deal with. He added that the building needs to be demolished before there will be any interest from somebody wishing to purchase the site as nobody would want the responsibility of dealing with the asbestos in the building.

Proposed by Councillor Marks, seconded by Councillor Gerstner and agreed that the application be GRANTED against the officer’s recommendation with delegated authority given to officers to apply reasonable conditions in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

Members did not support the officer’s recommendation of refusal as they consider that the building is out of keeping with the Town Centre regeneration, will cause a security risk soon once it becomes vacant and will lead to anti-social behaviour and they feel that that by demolishing the building they are safeguarding the interests of the public due to the building containing asbestos materials which in the event of a fire could cause significant issues.

(Councillor Benney declared that at the time this site was considered at Cabinet, he was the Portfolio Holder and took no part in the discussion and voting thereon)

(Councillor Mrs French declared that she was the Ward Councillor and would be speaking in support of this application and following her presentation she took no part in the discussion or voting thereon)