A Statement from Woodbridge Riverside Trust
Planning application number DC/26/1751/FUL
What IS our planning application about?
The application is for a modest widening of the permitted uses within the existing building, whilst retaining its maritime focus. The change will permit a wider range of activities in the Gallery and workshop areas (such as evening classes, prestigious craft exhibitions and events for the benefit of the whole community). Maritime related activities, and boatbuilding will remain key.
It proposes no extension to the building, or alteration to its external appearance, no additional parking, and no change that would affect the character of a Conservation area.
Why is this application Important?
The Longshed Is an important public asset. Greater flexibility will allow it to support more education, heritage, skills training and community activities while continuing to celebrate Woodbridge’s maritime history and traditional boatbuilding.
Does it change anything for the Sutton Hoo ship project?
No. This application is not about ‘occupancy’ of The Longshed.
It will not affect the terms and conditions of the Licence Agreement under which the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company occupy a large part of The Longshed. Those terms will remain the same regardless of the outcome of the Planning Application.
Misinformation
Unfortunately, some of the information circulating is not correct.
Readers may wish to know that:
- The Longshed was donated to the community by the developer. It was not donated to the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company
- That donation was the result of over 15 years of work, primarily by people in Woodbridge Riverside Trust (WRT) and its predecessor, the Woodbridge and Melton Riverside Action Group (WAMRAG), long before SHSC existed.
- The initial £95k needed to fit out and equip The Longshed and the subsequent £70k + expenditure for further kit and improvements was raised by WRT.
- The Longshed was intended as a community asset. It was not intended to be used largely and only for one small group of people.
- It was not intended that The Longshed be permanently used for ‘heritage boats’. It was originally expected that the reconstruction of the Sutton Hoo burial ship would take no more than five years, after which The Longshed would be available for other uses.
- Many documents were prepared and circulated during the negotiations about the Whisstock’s development and the preparation for The Longshed. The final decision of the planners and the owners of the freehold, Woodbridge Town Council, are captured in the current planning permission and in the Lease of The Longshed which WRT owns
If you want to know more, please read the planning application and you can decide then whether or not to support it. The Longshed is a community building and as such should serve as wide a range of community interests as practicable.
It can and should be done.
2 Comments. Leave new
This is both helpful and timely. Thanks.
One of the documents provided by SHSC says they have tried to discuss these matters with SWT but you have refused to meet them.
Is this true? If not I really think it needs to challenged publicly as the best solution for all will be through discussion, compromise and agreement.
Good morning,Terry
WRT is happy to meet with SHSC anytime as a two-way discussion, but until recently mediation had been muted and we were waiting for that to be progressed satisfactorily. One of the reason for the delay was an outstanding issue that needed to be resolved first. That has now been done but in the meantime the party proposing mediated has abandoned the idea, so back to Square1.