Planning application for Shirley Parish Hall
We are submitting a planning application to Southampton City Council in July 2024.
Why are we seeking planning permission?
Shirley Parish Hall is 100 years old this year, and it is feeling very tired and dated. For several years now, we have been considering how best to invest in the building. Thank you to those of you who responded to our survey in 2022. As we have developed our plans, we have been keen to:
• make it significantly more environmentally friendly, as part of our desire to be carbon net zero by 2030
• completely refurbish the interior of the building for the benefit of all its users
• see if we can create additional space to accommodate more groups from the local community, and more of our Sunday morning children’s groups.
In 2020 and 2022, we submitted draft plans to the City Council for their informal comments. Those draft plans were for knocking down the existing building and replacing it with a 1½ or 2 storey building to try maximising the space available. The City Council were not keen on those plans for a number of reasons, and we have taken their feedback on board with our latest proposal.
What are the current plans?
Instead of demolishing and rebuilding the Hall, we instead want to do an extensive refurbishment of the existing building – although there would be a few exterior changes:
• to move the main entrance from St James Road to Colebrook Avenue (which we think will be safer for hall users)
• at the Twyford Avenue end of the Hall, extend the roof line so that it has a ‘gable end’ rather than a ‘hip end’ (to help create space for a small upstairs room).
• at that end of the Hall, facing Colebrook Green, put in a double dormer window (again, to create space for a small upstairs room)
To see a copy of the detailed plans, click here. To read the accompanying statement, click here.
You can watch a short presentation about our plans below.
There is further information below the video.
Shirley Parish Hall is 100 years old this year, and it is feeling very tired and dated. For several years now, we have been considering how best to invest in the building. Thank you to those of you who responded to our survey in 2022. As we have developed our plans, we have been keen to:
• make it significantly more environmentally friendly, as part of our desire to be carbon net zero by 2030
• completely refurbish the interior of the building for the benefit of all its users
• see if we can create additional space to accommodate more groups from the local community, and more of our Sunday morning children’s groups.
In 2020 and 2022, we submitted draft plans to the City Council for their informal comments. Those draft plans were for knocking down the existing building and replacing it with a 1½ or 2 storey building to try maximising the space available. The City Council were not keen on those plans for a number of reasons, and we have taken their feedback on board with our latest proposal.
What are the current plans?
Instead of demolishing and rebuilding the Hall, we instead want to do an extensive refurbishment of the existing building – although there would be a few exterior changes:
• to move the main entrance from St James Road to Colebrook Avenue (which we think will be safer for hall users)
• at the Twyford Avenue end of the Hall, extend the roof line so that it has a ‘gable end’ rather than a ‘hip end’ (to help create space for a small upstairs room).
• at that end of the Hall, facing Colebrook Green, put in a double dormer window (again, to create space for a small upstairs room)
To see a copy of the detailed plans, click here. To read the accompanying statement, click here.
You can watch a short presentation about our plans below.
There is further information below the video.
What about the historical significance of the Hall?
We hope these current plans will maintain the existing exterior look and feel of the building, whilst allowing for some fairly minor modifications which will achieve more usable space. The little bit of pipe work that remains from its use as a Spitfire factory in WW2 would be kept. This planning application does not include a proposal to remove the bomb shelter. The blue ‘Spitfire Makers’ plaque would be retained.
What about the interior of the Hall?
We cannot do detailed planning on the interior of the Hall until we know the outcome of this planning application, but if it is approved, the interior of the Hall would be completely refurbished, providing much better kitchen and toilet facilities. By situating the toilets in the middle of the Hall, we hope it will be possible to hire out to two (or even three) groups at the same time. The storage spaces would be where the existing toilets are – so all the chairs (as well as tables) could be stored nicely when not in use. We would put in proper AV systems as well.
What about parking?
We are aware that some local residents are concerned that an increase in the number of rooms in the building would lead to increased parking pressure locally. The additional room in this proposal would be fairly small, so we anticipate that any additional parking pressure would be minimal. We encourage our own congregation on Sundays to walk or cycle to church if possible, or park responsibly if they drive. We also encourage Hall hirers to park responsibly. If you are aware of persistent problems stemming from regular hirers of the Hall, please contact our church office so we can raise that issue.
What will happen next?
The planning application process will take several months. If approved, we would then need to put the plans to tender and fundraise before any building works could start. We will keep you informed as plans progress.
How can we ask questions or raise objections?
We’re excited by these plans! We hope you’ll agree that these relatively modest proposals will preserve and enhance the Parish Hall for the whole community for the coming decades. If you have any questions about these plans, you can use the form below or contact our church office. If you would like to make any formal objections to the plans, go to southampton.gov.uk/planning/planning-applications/ (although it might take a few weeks for the plans to be uploaded there).
We hope these current plans will maintain the existing exterior look and feel of the building, whilst allowing for some fairly minor modifications which will achieve more usable space. The little bit of pipe work that remains from its use as a Spitfire factory in WW2 would be kept. This planning application does not include a proposal to remove the bomb shelter. The blue ‘Spitfire Makers’ plaque would be retained.
What about the interior of the Hall?
We cannot do detailed planning on the interior of the Hall until we know the outcome of this planning application, but if it is approved, the interior of the Hall would be completely refurbished, providing much better kitchen and toilet facilities. By situating the toilets in the middle of the Hall, we hope it will be possible to hire out to two (or even three) groups at the same time. The storage spaces would be where the existing toilets are – so all the chairs (as well as tables) could be stored nicely when not in use. We would put in proper AV systems as well.
What about parking?
We are aware that some local residents are concerned that an increase in the number of rooms in the building would lead to increased parking pressure locally. The additional room in this proposal would be fairly small, so we anticipate that any additional parking pressure would be minimal. We encourage our own congregation on Sundays to walk or cycle to church if possible, or park responsibly if they drive. We also encourage Hall hirers to park responsibly. If you are aware of persistent problems stemming from regular hirers of the Hall, please contact our church office so we can raise that issue.
What will happen next?
The planning application process will take several months. If approved, we would then need to put the plans to tender and fundraise before any building works could start. We will keep you informed as plans progress.
How can we ask questions or raise objections?
We’re excited by these plans! We hope you’ll agree that these relatively modest proposals will preserve and enhance the Parish Hall for the whole community for the coming decades. If you have any questions about these plans, you can use the form below or contact our church office. If you would like to make any formal objections to the plans, go to southampton.gov.uk/planning/planning-applications/ (although it might take a few weeks for the plans to be uploaded there).