THE future of a prominent Alton site will be reviewed after a property firm said it wants to build a combined retail and residential area on it. Standing opposite Alton Methodist Church, at the junction of Butts Road and Drayman's Way, Ivy House and Oceanic House have been owned for the last 10 years by Elstream Management Ltd. But their 8,000sq ft of office accommodation has not been occupied for two years. Now Elstream is looking at change of use, to provide shops units at ground floor level with flats above, as shown on the artist's impression, above. If the company's plans are approved, Ivy House, a Grade II-listed building, would be left untouched but Oceanic House, built in the Seventies, would be demolished to make way for a larger, three-storey building. The car park fronting Drayman's Way would be built on but the large parking area to the rear would remain. Provisional plans have been drawn up but Elstream is consulting residents before submitting them to East Hampshire planners. It has been suggested that the site be used for a GP surgery, or a residential home for elderly people but the plan on the table at present is for four versatile retail units, which could be used as one or split, according to requirement. Above them would be 14 flats, comprising two two- bed and 12 one-bed units. With the arrival in town of M&S Simply Food, and the close proximity of Sainsbury's, Elstream believes this end of town is ripe for further retail development. In a pre-application consultation, Alton Town Council's planning committee welcomed the introduction of more retail units but expressed a need for more two, rather than one-bedroom flats – a comment Elstream said it would take on board. Councillors were unhappy about the inverted design of the roof on Oceanic House's replacement as they said it gave the appearance of a flat roof, which would be out of keeping with Ivy House and buildings on the opposite side of Butts Road and the High Street. They suggested that a pitched roof, containing the third floor, possibly with dormer windows, would be more attractive. The Alton Society has also been consulted and its members asked for the new building to be staggered, to break up the line facing the church. Elstream is awaiting formal comments.
