PLANNING bosses have U-turned on a decision to force a nightclub to rip out its new windows, potentially saving its boss more than £100,000.
Colchester Council’s planning committee voted to accept resubmitted blueprints for new windows at Silk Road in Colchester city centre, which have already been installed.
Councillors had previously ruled the UPVC windows must be replaced with timber ones because of concerns plastic windows would ruin the character of the conservation area.
But, undeterred, nightclub boss Osman Rasih submitted a fresh application with some minor changes, which was approved by councillors at a meeting on Thursday.
Planning officer Daniel Bird explained that, despite the venue in Queen Street being in a conservation area where such a change wouldn’t usually be allowed, the application – which includes the reinstatement of a parapet clock – represents “less than substantial harm” to the area.
John Burton from Colchester Civic Society, however, argued preserving “historic detail” in a conservation area is essential.
Business improvement district boss Sam Good and Mr Rasih’s local councillor Martin Goss both defended the application.
Mr Good, who previously said it would cost the Mr Rasih more than £100,000 to replace the windows with wooden alternatives, contrasted the work at Silk Road to buildings like the old Odeon in Crouch Street, which fell “into a state of disrepair”.
“On this occasion, we have a businessman who is investing heavily in a large prominent building,” he said.
'Decaying street'
Mr Goss admitted he is “embarrassed about the way this has been handled” after reviewing the application.
He added: “Having visited the site what I can only see is a high-quality development which is complying with everything that planning officers have asked for.”
Planning committee member Sam McCarthy, who was among the five councillors who voted in favour of the plans, pointed out “no-one is looking at the windows”.
“What they are noticing down Queen Street is a decaying street and it is a dump,” he said.
“There is one or two places that are beacons of hope on that street and Silk Road is one of them.”
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