Deco Design no Threat to Seafront's Image (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

Deco Design no Threat to Seafront's Image

9:59am Tuesday 2nd February 2010

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I REFER to the article entitled "Flats threat to our sea-front's image" published in the Clacton Gazette on January 28.

I am not accustomed to writing to newspapers, but it would simply be inequitable in this instance to let what one might kindly view as ill informed and prejudiced comments go unanswered.

At this point I feel it only fair to bring two salient points to your attention: Firstly, I am a commercial executive with over 30 years experience in the construction industry. At the risk of appearing immodest, I have extensive knowledge of design, construction materials and methodology. Secondly, my wife and I are proud owners of an apartment within the development pilloried in the aforementioned article.

If I may address the principal points of contention: 1) The suggestion that the development has been built without the requisite permissions is clearly arrant nonsense. The searches carried out by our solicitor prior to purchase bear testimony to this point.

2) There are numerous properties located on the sea-front having balconies with the benefit of a sea view ( surely the whole point of having a balcony on a sea-front property ? ) Lamaid advised us prior to our agreeing to purchase our apartment that they would be seeking permission to add a balcony to the penthouse apartment. We had no objection then, we have no objection now.

3) If councillors Watling and Johnson genuinely consider this building to be an "eyesore" and a "monstrosity", I would be extremely interested to hear their views on speculative developments undertaken by other developers along the sea-front from the 1960's to the present day.

My wife and I consider 2 Cliff Way to be a unique and superb example of modern design and construction, continuing a long established tradition of Art Deco design for which Frinton is well known. If the numbers of people who stop to view and take photographs of the building are anything to go by, we are not alone in this opinion.

4) The only comment in the entire article with which I would concur, is when councillor Watling states that Lamaid "has done some brilliant work further along". It is my considered opinion that 2 Cliff Way is a continuation of that tradition.

In conclusion, I fear that the only message that the planning councillors may actually have succeeded in sending out is, that for whatever reasons, they wish to prevent Lamaid from continuing to construct innovative high quality buildings in Frinton. By adopting this policy, they are ignoring the benefits that Lamaid bring to the local economy.

Mr & Mrs Thornberry.

Frinton.

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