Rayners – P&TGRS Submission

Conversion of Rayners House, etc

This is a truly exceptional planning application to rescue a significant and grand local house with its supporting period outbuildings and gardens. After building Rayners, Sir Philip Rose, and later his son, played a seminal role in the creation of Tylers Green, including the building of St Margaret’s Church, the First School, Tylers Green House and the Parish Room. Rayners became the focus of village celebration for 75 years and employed a large proportion of its inhabitants.

Its very unacceptable future, only a few years ago, appeared to be limited to a variety of possible schools, or to be demolished and replaced by a housing estate. Then it was successfully listed, and rightly so because it is a very fine example of a Victorian mansion estate exemplifying the enormous self-confidence of that period of our history, with the added interest of its unusually close associations with Benjamin Disraeli and through him, to Queen Victoria.

Thus, we are dealing with a remarkable legacy which requires a correspondingly remarkable treatment. This it has found in an extraordinary project which spares no expense to return the mansion and its supporting stables, lodge, bothy, gardens and park to their former glory. The many and ambitious sustainability measures proposed are particularly admirable. The removal of the 1960s additions relating to its former school function will be no loss.

The very visible entrance off Church Road is in our Conservation Area and these proposals will be an improvement. The original side access gate for pedestrians with its elaborate red brick pillar is to be restored at the main gates on Church Road. The road entrance is to be widened with a curved brick & flint wall set back a little to accommodate the required highway sight lines, with the round hole designed for a telegraph pole to stop enemy tanks in WW2 recreated in the new wall. Rayners Lodge is to be restored and will be used for its original purpose to direct visitors and for security control.

Nonetheless, there are understandable concerns about traffic, lights and noise in an otherwise quiet locality with no streetlighting. These concerns are particularly felt by the houses close to the edge of the site on Church Road and School Road who have made strong representations. The development team responded by moving the access road leading to the main car park considerably further away from their boundary, with the parked cars concealed by solar canopies. High hedges are to be planted and sound barriers have been offered. The intention is to encourage electric cars with a monetary discount.

There will be no delivery vehicles driving through the site – all incoming deliveries will be transferred to electric carts soon after entering from a new access road off Hammersley Lane. Staff will use this new entrance and will park soon after entering the site with their cars concealed by ‘living roof’ covered pergola frames. A very detailed transport survey concludes that no transport or highway reasons have been found to refuse the development.

We recognise that for a few residents this application will not be at all welcome, but the site is bound to be developed and this project is one that will provide a popular local facility and could provide many jobs as well as boosting the local economy and perhaps bringing new life to our dwindling shops.

We are therefore pleased to be able to support this application with the request for some conditions to reassure residents:

1) Restrictions should be placed on any large functions, in particular outdoor functions such as weddings, regarding frequency, noise, lighting, fireworks and antisocial hours.
2) Conditions relating to the same issues during the construction phase, and in particular contractors’ traffic.
3) Prioritise noise mitigation for immediate neighbours during construction phase.