Jewellery designer Daniella Draper in spot of bother with council over Grimsby shop's security shutters

 

Daniella Draper - retrospective consent being sought

ONE of the country's top jewellery designers is in hot water with North East Lincolnshire Council over a planning matter 

To safeguard her shop in Grimsby's Top Town after closing hours, Daniella Draper decided to install shutters - but without first gaining consent from the authority.

Although she has now submitted a retrospective planning application, the Cleethorpes-based entrepreneur is by no means assured that it will be approved.

Her shop at 22 Victoria Street is in a conservation area, and NELC's heritage officer, Louise Jennings, has lodged her opposition.

In a report, she says: "Proposals in conservation areas should seek to enhance the character of the area, preserving those features which make a positive contribution to its special interest.

"The object of preservation is to cause no harm and is a matter of paramount concern in the planning process."

Continues Ms Jennings: "Shutters are a very undesirable solution to security in a conservation area as it is important to create an attractive and welcoming street scene. 

"As they are positioned in front of the shop window, external roller shutters are particularly prominent and often require permanent bulky shutter boxes and side runners. 

"If badly designed or located, attractive architectural features can be covered over or damaged. Subsequently, the shop front can become unsightly. 

"Solid and partly slotted roller shutters dominate the shop front and bring a much harsher, unwelcoming appearance to the street-scene, especially if repeated at several premises. 

"As well as creating a fortress-like appearance, such shutters are liable to attract graffiti and spontaneous damage, prevent window shopping and reduce casual surveillance by the public. 

"The installation of roller shutters can even exacerbate the problem of anti-social behaviour by creating such a hostile-looking environment."

She concludes: "I recommend that this application be refused and that the shutters are removed."

Ms Draper's planning agent is Matt Deakins, of Ross Davy Associates, takes a different view. 

"The recent refurbishment of the property has resulted in a significant improvement of the immediate area,"he says.

"However, the wider area still has issues with security, and, as a result the security shutters are proposed." 

He continues: "It should be noted that there are at least seven other examples of externally- mounted security shutters to shopfronts in Victoria Street, including a set next to the application site.

"The applicant has taken great care in colour matching the roller shutters to the windows and doors elsewhere on the façade.

"All signage and the approved retractable awnings are positioned in an ordered fashion, maintaining a unified appearance. 

"The existing building is modern or modernist in style and construction,  and it is considered that the roller shutters are acceptable in this context.

"While the shutters are a noticeable change to the street scene, they are relatively small in nature viewed in the context of the site and considered to have a neutral impact on the conservation area."

The proposal is expected to be determined by a planning case officer later this summer.

The jewellery shop - with shuttered premises next door 

The Grimsby News says: The council's heritage officer has a point - shutters invariably have a brutalising impact on a street scene wherever it may be. But in this case, the horse has already bolted. Over the years, Victoria Street has become so degraded that it is a mystery how it still retains its conservation area status. Probably no kind of shop is more vulnerable to a break-in than one that sells jewellery, so it is understandable why shutters have been installed. When so many shops are closing, Grimsby is fortunate, indeed, that Daniella Draper remains. If consent is witheld, who could blame her if she should decide to join the exodus? Permission should be granted without more ado.