PLANS to turn a former wine shop in Colchester into a new home have been refused.
Anthony Borges alongside wife Janet owned and operated The Wine Centre in Great Horkesley for nearly 25 years.
The couple, who live in the Grade II listed site’s adjoining Georgian country home, decided to retire and close the business last year and it was put up for sale for £1.5 million.
Earlier this year a Listed Building application went into Colchester Council from Mr Borges outlining the change of use for the site.
The plans say the Wine Centre site would change from a class E retail site to a residential home.
The Wine Centre is a Grade II listed building and adjoins another Grade II listed building, Gardenhurst.
In the application, it was stated that Colchester Council deemed the site appropriate and sustainable for new residential developments in its housing strategy.
On the plans, the documents say: “There are internal alterations planned to rearrange the space to accommodate a suitable living area.
“Historic elements such as wine storage cabinets will be retained and incorporated into the kitchen and dining room.”
Great Horkesley Parish Council objected to the plans, saying the development “will compromise the ability of the Local Plan allocation to deliver a total of 13 new dwellings on the allocated School Lane site”.
The parish council also mentioned a lack of access to other streets as “ultimately it does not provide enough houses on land that is already supported for development”.
However, bosses at the council’s planning committee have rejected the proposal.
In a statement, the council said: “It is considered that this proposal would fail to provide housing in line with the requirements of the site allocation and represents a harmful impact to the neighbouring designated heritage assets.
“In addition the proposed two units would drastically conflict with the density proposed within the allocation, failing to make efficient use of land as required.”
Further, the council states that “the development of the site would result in inherent harm to the significance” of the listed Gravenhurst and former Church of England School.
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