HIRA wants The Crescent included in Masterplan
- Fri 3rd Oct 2008
HERITAGE experts and residents' representatives are calling on Havant Borough Council to rethink its seafront Masterplan because it fails to include the area's one truly historic landmark.
Members of the Hayling Island Residents' Association (HIRA) are writing to council chiefs and urge them to include the area around, and including The Crescent.
The famous building – which was dreamed up by the Island's Victorian Lord of the Manor William Padwick – has become a shadow of its former glory, having become split up into multi-occupancy flats in places.
And now the notorious end property – where two people died in fire four years ago because of safety issues ignored by rogue landlord Chris Mincham – is up for sale.
That has sparked rumours that several property firms that specialise in transforming period properties into luxury apartments are sniffing around The Crescent, which dates back to the 1820s.
HIRA's Tony Higham told the Islander: "The plans to build a boardwalk between West Beach and Eastoke with a new centrepiece at Beachlands and the proposed water sports centre to replace the Inn on the Beach, have created much debate and disagreement.
"That is no bad thing, but in the general approach to the problem it has become clear to a number of people and organisations, that no plan can be complete without the inclusion of areas such as that to the West of the Beachlands roundabout and of course, the Crescent.
"In the case of the Crescent, there has been recently, and will be, significant changes of ownership.
"Because of this, HBC is also being asked to try and put more pressure on owners to improve the area."
"Ideally, this would lead to the setting up a scheme in which a total redevelopment of the Crescent would be possible - resulting in a building on Hayling seafront of which we could all be proud."
HIRA is going to be backed by Hayling's Community Board, made up of other community representatives.
Discover Hayling's Robin Walton has been leading the group trying to stir up interest in the Island's heritage, and delved into the Crescent's past with his re-enactments of Padwick's Grand Plan to build a new Bognor or Brighton around the centerpiece of the Crescent, and nearby Hayling Park.
He has been ultra critical of planners who have allowed many of the Island's leading landmarks to be raised to the ground and replaced by mediocre modern developments, with Hayling blighted by blocks of flats along the seafront.
Robin said: "Having spent the last 18 months trying to raise awareness of Hayling's heritage, we focused on Padwick's dream of making the Island the playground for wealthy Victorians.
"The Crescent was the centerpiece of that vision, and is the one thing that has survived largely in tact.
"I hope that any future changes to the ownership ensure it remains an historic building that connects Hayling's past with its present.
"Too many wonderful properties have been lost forever - destroyed by property developers in the last 20-30 years. We must do everything to preserve this one properly."
The Islander understands that one family owns a number of the houses which the Crescent is divided up into.
Another problem property in the area HIRA would like to see revamped under the Masterplan is the disused public house – The Royal Shades. HBC has forced the brewery which is trying to sell the old pub, behind the Crescent, to spruce up the listed building.
Source: The News.
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