White Hart Hotel

The application for the proposed extension to the White Hart Hotel was turned down at the Southern Area Planning Committee on Thursday 12th January.
Whilst the Society remains unopposed to redevelopment of this existing rear extension; this recent planning refusal presents an opportunity to readdress our serious concerns on the two previous versions submitted.

Efforts were made in this recent application to reduce the massing of the earlier scheme submitted in 2013, but the Society felt that this presented an unfortunate watering down of the original design intent. A new but poorly articulated entrance at the rear was a key concern for the Society; not only making the main landmark entrance on St John Street redundant, it would bring heavy traffic, extensive road markings and increased lighting and light pollution into the centre of the historic Chequer.

We were concerned that this design presents a missed opportunity to do something contemporary, of its time and site specific. The White Hart Hotel is an unusual and charming historic building; it is a city centre landmark that deserves an architectural response equal to that of the existing building.

We look forward to following the development of any future applications as The Society would be glad to see improvements made to the existing 1970’s extension at the rear; well-designed contemporary city centre hotel facilities would be a great benefit to Salisbury.

Louise Rendell ARCHITECT
RIBA PGDipConsHistEnv (RICS)