Plans to build on R Charlish LTD site in Bungay at halfway

The former R Charlish site in Bungay was previously occupied by a car showroom, workshop and a petrol filling station.

When R Charlish as a business ceased trading there was much speculation about the future of the site.

A few years later in May 2019, an application to demolish the structures of the former garage and car dealership was approved.

The former R Charlish LTD site in Bungay (Image: Google)How the former R Charlish LTD site looks now (Image: Bruno Brown)
Then another planning bid was made to create new sales units and flats there.

Applicant SEP Properties Ltd had the plans for the new development approved in September 2022, despite the town council and 17 nearby residents objecting.

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This application was approved a year after the developer withdrew its original plans to build units and flats there with different designs.

Above is how the withdrawn plans were designed to look, below is how the approved plans will look (Image: GOULD SINGLETON ARCHITECTS)

As part of the agreement for the approval of the new plans was a condition which states work must begin within three years.

Now 18 months later, halfway through that condition period, and work on the site has still not begun.

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The developer was approached for comment on the progress of the project and did not respond.

Above is how the withdrawn plans would have looked and below is the approved design (Image: GOULD SINGLETON ARCHITECTS)

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Plans say that the development "seeks to provide a high quality, contemporary design at this junction", but still "respects the adjoining scale and mass of the wider street scene". 

Above is the previous design for the site and below is how the approved design will look (Image: GOULD SINGLETON ARCHITECTS)

The roof of the first-floor accommodation has been "suppressed" from the original design of the withdrawn application to create a "one-and-a-half-storey approach" with the apartments having "sloping ceilings on the peripheral edge" starting at approximately 1.8 metres from floor level.

This ensures that the build is "not too dissimilar" to that of the adjoining properties.

To view the plans in full search reference DC/22/0536/FUL in the East Suffolk Council planning portal.

The site of the former R Charlish LTD garage in its current state (Image: Bruno Brown)