The article in the Comet on the subject of the redevelopment of the old post office site (Scaled down tower “does not go far enough”, May 1) puts the position in a nutshell.
The buildings are still far too tall for Kingston Town.
The developers, St George, have submitted a revised planning application.
They list 11 changes in their community newsletter of April 2015.
There are new plans, new elevations, new finishes, new heights, but despite these many alterations the revised application is not going to public consultation. Why?
The main issue has not been addressed: the heights.
A reduction of the tower block from 21 to 19 storeys does nothing when most people do not want a tower block at all.
And many of the other blocks exceed the heights in the approved Eden development plan.
These main objections are not addressed; can this be why there is no public consultation?
The pictures of the revised scheme show the taller buildings with glass upper storeys which merge into the blue of the sky and disappear.
This effect only rarely happens; one only has to look at the Shard, all glass, to see how it stands out in strong silhouette against the sky.
This surely is misleading, as are many of the other illustrations.
The plan shown in the newsletter is schematic, but still it is strange and no matter how high the buildings are, be they the two-storey houses in the conservation area or the 14-storey blocks they all cast the same length of shadow, except the tower block which miraculously casts no shadow at all.
This proposed tower block and the surrounding high blocks in Kingston if approved will only be the first, more will come unless we can stop it now.
Do you want a rash of towers to destroy our town or do you want Kingston to remain a thriving market town with a heart and soul? You only have until May 19 to object.
GEORGE ROME INNES
Kingston
- Send your letters to: letters@surreycomet.co.uk
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