Ugly block of flats proposed for Waterlooville

Havant Borough Council appears to be determined to allow the ugliest buildings to be built in Waterlooville. The proposal for Wellington Way probably beats them all, some 8 storeys high and the design looks like a typical 1960s block.

https://www.havant.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/briefing%20note.pdf

When will we ever learn in the UK?
We know cheap well designed energy efficient buildings are possible, yet councils allow appalling crap to be built. British bodging dominated by cowboy developers and builders.

If you would like a say in this proposal, the council consultation will be on 24th May starting at 6pm at Havant Borough Council offices (The Plaza as they now call it).

https://www.havant.gov.uk/planning-and-environment/development-consultation-forums

Leaning tower of bricks

Two pallets of bricks leaning precariously towards an expensive iron fence and wall.
I estimate that the centre of gravity is well over to the left and it is close to toppling, potentially damaging the wall and fence. Hope the builders have good insurance!
It's also potentially a health and safety risk, since the wall/fence could fail and injure the owners of the neighbouring home.

 Update:

 Yes it did topple over after heavy rains. In this photo the top pallet is now touching the iron fence.
The good news is that later in the day the top pallet of bricks had been lifted off and were placed on the drive along with an additional delivery of bricks.

Poor workmanship in Hampshire - really appalling path and pavement work

Outside a new building (PMC Construction offices) in Cosham near the train station, the builders have done probably the worst job ever in laying paving blocks.

The builders started laying a border of dark grey blocks to edge the red blocks, then when they had got about 80% complete, they just stopped.

As well as that, they used whole blocks near the black block edging and also by the metal drain, and filled the gap with small pieces.

Would have been better to put the small pieces next to the drain, like every other builder!











The same builders aren't to hot on curves either.

But it gets worse!
Here they start with one style of edging, then switch to another. Plus they cut one of the metal drains to an angle but leave the other uncut, which means the angle is very noticeable.
Any normal person would have cut both so that the transition between the two would have been visually more pleasing.

The site manager for the project should frankly be sacked. A DIY home owner would have done a better job.

It's not just Cosham where we have bad workmanship. Here are examples in Waterlooville where a utilities company couldn't be bothered to replace the stones and just resurfaced with tarmac.

 Some examples of how it should be done...

Waterlooville the building site

As previously mentioned, Waterlooville has been turned into a big building site this year. Here are some of the other projects...

The old BAe/Marconi office block has almost completely gone, after a number of weeks of demolition work. Thankfully this time it looks like the trees will survive??
Let's not forget (like we don't forget those that fell in wars) that the land behind that fence was once farm land.

Hambledon parade is also getting a makeover, with new shops being built on the opposite side of Hambledon road on the Taylor Wimpey Wellington Park development.
Again the land where the new shops are being built was once farm land, another fallen victim.
More concrete!

Alert - Swiss Cottage in danger of being demolished?

Just read an article in The News about a proposed apartment and office block development that would require Swiss Cottage to be demolished and CAB to move??

Swiss Cottage is the only building remaining in Waterlooville that could be said to still look like it did when first built. In my 2008 post an anonymous commentor pointed out that Swiss Cottage dated back to at least 1876.

Apparently, quite a few solitary bees have been using it as a home lately.

I will try and find out more and post details later.

PassivHaus course this week in Portsmouth

There is a one day course on the 19th March about the PassivHaus system of home design.
I think there are still places available (it is free to people living in the SE region), but you have to book first. Details available at the Sustainable Building Association - Carbon Lite courses web page. The course will be at the Rees Building, Portsmouth University, starting at 9.30am.

Added: Oops forgot the date! It's on the 19th March, this Friday.

Swiss Cottage - Waterlooville

Swiss Cottage Nearby Office block and flats

Swiss Cottage is probably one of the last remaining unaltered buildings in Waterlooville that dates back before the 1950s. There is a photograph of the building that is dated 1906, this one was taken today. It is now occupied by the local Citizens Advice Bureau branch, an organisation devoted to giving free legal and financial advice. It's a shame that the roof tiles at the front have been replaced by plastic sheeting, but most of the building retains its original character. It is however in poor repair. A few yards further down the street is this non-descript block of offices and flats. About two years ago some beautiful Georgian cottages were demolished so that these could be built. The same type of cottages in Chichester would be protected and cherished, but the local Waterlooville authorities and property developers consider Waterlooville the ideal place to demolish any previous history. Unfortunately i didn't photograph the Georgian cottages before they were demolished. A lot of the worst defacing of Waterloovilles historic buildings occured in the 1950s and 1960s. Take a look at photographs of the period and the old Victorian buildings had either been replaced or modern fronts had been put on the old shops. Of course today, developers and councillors see fit to continue the trend.