CONTROVERSIAL plans which would have seen the United Reformed Church building in Normandy Street converted into three luxury town houses, have been thrown out by district planners.

Councillors stood firm and upheld the views of conservation experts by insisting, against officer recommendation, that the listed church building should remain in community use.

The decision followed accusations that the council would be seen as Òa soft touchÓ if it failed to enforce agreements designed to enforce basic upkeep and maintenance of listed buildings in danger of irredeemable deterioration.

Local architect Tony Cohen made an impassioned plea, on behalf of himself and other objectors, including the Alton Society, the Alton Buildings Preservation Trust and the Normandy Street Business Association, that the proposed conversion to housing would be Òtotally inappropriate for a single space buildingÓ.

The resulting subdivision would, he said, not only change the character of the historic building but would provide no gardens or car parking for the occupants.

He was scathing in his attack, suggesting that the only reason for the application was to gain Òextra valueÓ for the site.

Mr CohenÕs association with the church building dates back to 1996 when the Building Preservation Trust had hoped to turn it into a much-needed dance studio. It was he who had negotiated seven terraced properties for the adjacent Knox Terrace site to give the then owner the £150k needed to restore the church - a proposal accepted with the added protection of a section 106 agreement giving the owner a year to complete necessary remedial work to ensure basic safety and security of the building.

The then owner was unable to meet this commitment and the building was sold instead to the current owners, PMC Construction and Development Services Limited at a value reflecting the amount of work required. But this, said Mr Cohen, had not been carried out and, despite a lapse of almost five years, the council had taken no action to enforce this commitment.

Speaking on behalf of Alton Town Council, Allan Chick, also took issue over the district councilÕs failure to enforce the 106 agreement. ÒIf you had not consistently held back from taking such action, the building would not be in the state it is today and officers would not be recommending acceptance of this housing scheme as a means of securing its future,Ó he said.

In maintaining ATCÕs view that the church should remain in community use, Mr Chick sought to highlight the importance of the site to the current regeneration of the Normandy Street end of the town.

While a balance had to be made against the Òenormous housing needÓ and the need for public-event use in Alton, Jerry Janes (Holybourne) felt it would be Òa travestyÓ to build houses on the site. ÒIt is a one-way ticket and these opportunities occur so rarely,Ó he said.

Bob Booker (Alton North West) agreed, pointing out that Alton was a growing community and would need more facilities not less.

Since funding could be a problem he suggested a mix of commercial/community use, adding that the local cinema owner had indicated such an interest.

Mr Booker had some sympathy with the officers whom, he said, had Òtried to walk a tightropeÓ - holding fire on enforcing the 106 Agreement in the hope that one-time proposals by the Holybourne Theatre would take off resulting in an appropriate use of the building.

But, he insisted, the owners still had a responsibility to maintain the building and action should be taken to see they did so.

Members refused to grant both planning and listed building consent on grounds that the nature of the use and the subdivision would be detrimental to the character and fabric of the listed church building. And they determined to enforce the Section 106 agreement.