NEW plans have been unveiled to develop Colchester landmark Jumbo and create flats, a restaurant and a café in the former water tower.An application is in its final stages and is due to be submitted to Colchester Borough Council in the near future for councillors to decide whether the scheme can go ahead.
By Annie Davidson
NEW plans have been unveiled to develop Colchester landmark Jumbo and create flats, a restaurant and a café in the former water tower.
An application is in its final stages and is due to be submitted to Colchester Borough Council in the near future for councillors to decide whether the scheme can go ahead.
Simon Plater, partner at Plater Claiborne Architecture and Design, which has drawn up the plans, said talks were under way.
He said: “We are in pre-application discussions with the local authority, conservation architects and English Heritage about all sorts of issues.
“No application is in yet but we are hoping to submit one very soon.
“The new proposal we have got is two penthouse flats right at the top of Jumbo, the other is a destination restaurant just at the top of the main arch and people would be able to go there and look out over Colchester.
“Then there would be three flats below that and a cafeteria on the ground floor.”
The water tower, which has not been in use since 1984, was sold at auction last year and is owned by George Braithwaite.
Mr Plater said it was vital that a “viable solution” was found for Jumbo otherwise it would eventually fall down.
“It is a landmark building and if nothing is done with it then it will eventually fall down and get into a state where it is dangerous and we don't want that to happen,” he said.
“Someone has got to do something with it.”
Mr Plater said the last application for Jumbo was for a single residence but it was not considered a viable option.
Regarding the current plans he said: “We have to prove to them that what we proposed was a viable solution as such and that it will save the tower.
“They are concerned that if something starts and it is unviable and the project stops halfway through then the tower will be left half finished.”
annie.davidson@eadt.co.uk
Internet Link
www.jumbo.uk.com
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