Bid to demolish ‘Benbow’ former married quarters to facilitate 40 apartments at Ebrington

Ebrington Holdings Limited has applied for permission to knock down Building 118 – known as ‘Benbow’ – a former married quarters for soldiers built in the late nineteenth century

The application is for the development of two residential blocks up to 4 or 5 storeys in height with 40 apartments and a mixed use creative industries/office building.

"Works include demolition of Building 118 and ancillary site works, landscaping and car parking around the site including the setting of Building 117 (a listed building),” according to a Planning statement submitted in support of the application.

Building 117 also served as married quarters in the past.

A design statement describes ‘Benbow’ as ‘an ill-fitting gate house to the Ebrington site’ and says its removal ‘allows the site to be opened and more of the widest part of the site made available for development’.

The development is located in the north eastern corner of Ebrington.

“The economic benefits of the scheme are significant. An Economic Benefits Statement has been prepared and submitted with the application.

"This shows that economic benefits will include £10.4 million investment delivering 109 direct and 117 indirect construction jobs delivering £10.4 million in Gross Value Added per annum and 74 Full Time Equivalent operational jobs on site of which 55 will be jobs for local people, generating £2.7 million in GVA per annum and providing 71 indirect jobs generating £3.4 million in GVA per annum,” the planning statement states.

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