Protest against Application for permanent Change of Use
The Society has submitted the following to Wiltshire Council:
Arundells
Application
13/04090/FUL
The Salisbury Cathedral Close Preservation Society
wish to protest the application for permanent change of use to class
D1 for Arundells.
We are opposed to this property being used for purposes that are
inappropriate in The Close. The current opening presents few
problems but additional fundraising events and other commercial
exploitations that are possible under a D1 classification could
generate traffic and noise issues.
The opening of Arundells for public viewing has generated large
losses and is highly unlikely ever to be economically viable.
Therefore, we believe, that the property will have to be sold in the
near future.
Our principal concern is that the property should not be capable of
being sold on to an entrepreneur together with a permanent D1
classification so that it could be exploited for commercial purposes
that are not appropriate in The Close.
We understand that even if D1 classification is granted to the
Estate of Sir Edward Heath this permission could be restricted from
flowing to the next owner. We wish that such a constraint be
attached to any broadening of the use of Arundells.
Essentially Arundells is a residential property and its
classification should remain as such.
R.W.Owen
Vice
Chair, Salisbury
Cathedral Close Preservation Society
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The Salisbury Journal reported on 24/01/2013:
FORMER Salisbury MP Robert Key has resigned as a trustee of the Sir
Edward Heath Charitable Foundation as the debate over the future of
Arundells rages on.
In October, the trustees decided they had no option but to sell the
former prime minister's £6million Cathedral Close property due to
dwindling visitor numbers and mounting costs.
However China-based, multi-millionaire businessman, Peter Batey has
put forward a new proposal to keep Arundells open to visitors and
use the house as a museum, cultural centre and a venue for wedding
photography and concerts.
The Charity Commission, which has already blocked the sale of
Arundells once, has asked the trustees to look at Mr Batey's plan
before it makes a final decision on whether the house can be sold.
The delay in the sale has infuriated Mr Key, who has resigned as a
trustee after less than a year on the charity's board:
"I have always said that the
money from Ted Heath's estate should be spent on young people
and not old buildings.
It is a shame but Arundells
simply doesn't work as a museum. The people of Salisbury and the
Close don't want it as a visitor attraction. It should be a
family home.
We have taken the advice of
consultants, English Heritage and the National Trust. Arundells
is losing money that would be better spent on scholarships in
music and sailing that were also provided for in Ted Heath's
will.
He moved here 10 years after
he resigned as leader of the Conservative party - Arundells has
nothing to do with his time as Prime Minister. Opening it
to the public again is unviable because of the huge
amounts of work needed on the house, which would prove
incredibly costly.
The trustees wanted to sell
the house in 2011 but the sale was stopped by the Charity
Commission following campaigning from pressure group "The
Friends of Arundells". Last year the Friends opened the house on
Thursdays but visitor numbers were fewer than expected and
Arundells lost £97,000 in eight months."
After the trustees announced new plans to sell Arundells last
autumn, the Friends again opposed the sale and said they would "act
quickly" to show the Charity Commission the extent of support for
keeping the house open.
The
remaining trustees are now examining Mr Batey's proposals and will
give their views to the Charity Commission before a decision is
made.
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Arundells -
Change of Use
Application for further extension of the Change of Use.
Reference Nos. S/2012/0021 and 0022
The Salisbury Cathedral Close Preservation Society strongly objects
to these applications for the following reasons:
-
The
requested change of use would entail greatly intensified
commercialisation. This would bring increased pressure on
traffic and parking in addition to noise and disruption.
Statements by The Trustees and the Charity Commission's review
bear this out. According to these sources activities are to be
greatly extended to increase receipts from functions,
entrance fees and other commercial activities.
Any increased commercialisation would impact on other facilities
that already find difficulty in trading profitably.
-
Extension to evening opening would be disruptive to residents,
and cause parking problems, as this would be uncontrolled.
-
Arundells is of unsuitable size and layout for functions and
increased visitor numbers.
-
The
house has previously always been a family home, and should be
returned to that use.
-
There
is a clear danger that any further "temporary" extension could
be used to claim "custom and practice" in future. It should
therefore be rejected now!
The
Trustees of The Sir Edward Heath Foundation in compliance with the
wish expressed in his Will arranged four years ago to open the house
to the public. In respect for Sir Edward we supported the planning
application which was for a three year period, and subsequently the
extra year needed by the Trustees to implement a scheme for what
would follow.
However
,the Charity Commissioners wish commercial activities to be greatly
extended. This decision flies in the face of logic considering the
substantial loss incurred over the
last four years.
It places all Sir Edward's other wishes under his Will at risk for
lack of funds.