‘Historic' home to be demolished despite estate agent's promise to elderly owners
Eric Abbott, 94, lived in Hiawatha Cottage in Swanmore, Hants, for more than 60 years with his family, before agreeing to sell it on the condition that it went to a family who would enjoy it.
But Simon Smith, the new owner, has since applied to Winchester city council for permission to tear it down in favour of two two-storey newbuilds with four-bedrooms each, parking for three cars and gardens.
Mr Abbott, 94, a former company director, raised his family in the house with his wife Peggy before putting it on the market last year for £585,000.
In an objection he wrote against the planning application, Mr Abbott said: 'As the previous owner of Hiawatha I was totally dismayed to see the change of heart of the new owners attempting to destroy Hiawatha and replace with totally unsuitable houses.
'I instructed the estate agent to ensure my wonderful house was only sold to a family who would love it like I did and not destroy it.'
He claimed that the estate agent had assured him that the new owners wanted it to be 'their forever home', adding: 'All I ever wanted was for another family to love it like I had for the last 64 years.'
Mr Abbott added: 'I had been offered to sell to many builders and I declined as this house is party of history, it was there before chapel road was even made.
'I would never have sold it had I known this was their intention and they knew that.
'There is an ancient well that in the deeds demands that it should be operable for future water shortages in the village and this was a legal requirement.
'I believe Hiawatha was built in the 15th century it is a beautiful flint cottage which should not be replaced with two identical newbuilds.'
Neighbours have criticised the plans, claiming that they will not fit the character of the village, and will cause traffic problems on an already busy street around the corner from a primary school.
Houses on the street cost an average of £800,000, and some buildings in Swanmore – which is mentioned in the Domesday Book – date back to the 16th or early 17th centuries.
Villagers received flyers about the petition against the redevelopment, which has 931 signatures, through their letterboxes.
The flyers said the cottage was being 'flattened' and replaced with 'two modern, bland newbuilds'.
Two hundred objections
Almost a thousand people have signed a petition to stop the development and 200 objections were written during the public consultation period for the plans.
Neighbour David Hughes, 63, said the current cottage was 'unusual' but 'breaks up some of the monotony of the architecture'.
He added: 'If we're not careful, we'll have a lot of new houses here.'
Meanwhile, another neighbour, John Allen, 79, said the verbal agreement 'isn't worth the paper it's written on'.
On the planning application, Historic England said there is no evidence to indicate that the building predates the 19th century – it is believed to have been built between 1840 and 1868.
It said: 'The building does not illustrate an important aspect of the nation's history, nor does it have the historic associations with nationally important individuals, groups, or events, which might give it historic special interest.'
A decision is due to be made about the planning application on July 18.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I moved to Australia at 85 to escape the cost-of-living crisis: I was so nervous, even with family by my side. Here's what every pensioner needs to know about relocating Down Under
Moving to the other side of the world is a huge undertaking at any age, but when you make the move in your eighties, it's doubly impressive. Pensioner Jill Churchyard, from Bromley did exactly that 18 months ago when she relocated to Perth in Western Australia with her family, aged 85. Emigrating was certainly not what Jill expected in her ninth decade. But the family, tired of being squeezed more and more in the cost of living crisis, decided to leave their lives in the UK behind for better weather, an improved standard of living and a greater work-life balance. Jill flew more than 10,000 miles to Australia in December 2023 – with daughter Lesley Reed, 56, son-in-law Pete, 54, a senior software test engineer and grandchildren Lara, 13 and Annabelle 11. They swapped their five bedroom house in Bromley for a four-bedroom house in Perth, which has a swimming pool and is close to the beach. Jill, now 86, said: 'I could never have imagined emigrating in my 80s. If you'd told me I would be doing this, I wouldn't have believed you. Ideally, I would have preferred to have moved to Australia in my 60s. 'Obviously moving to the other side of the world at my age is a huge deal. It's a big move to make and I was worried about it. 'But I lived with my daughter and grandchildren in Bromley and I wanted to continue living with them and I knew making the move would be good for my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.' The family decided to emigrate to Perth, after finding it harder and harder to live in the UK due to the cost-of-living crisis. 'The economic crisis didn't impact me as much because I am retired, but I was very aware of how much it was impacting my daughter and her husband as a family with two young children,' Jill said. 'Bills were going up and they were working more and more hours.' Jill is still in receipt of her state pension, but because she's left the country it is not index linked. This means she is not entitled to a yearly increase because Australia does not have a social security agreement with the UK. It will remain at the same rate as when she left, unless she were to move back home. Jill also has passive income from renting out her flat back home, and the lower cost of living means her money stretches further. However, the emotional toll of the move has been somewhat harder to navigate than the financial side, with Jilly admitting that she was 'very nervous about it'. 'It's a difficult move to make at my age. My biggest worry was leaving family and friends behind in the UK and whether I would be able to make new friends in Australia. 'It was hard at first, but I've joined the Senior Citizens Centre and some over 50s social groups, which has really helped. I've been able to go on day trips to pretty nearby villages and enjoy activities such as art and craft sessions and quiz nights and special interest clubs like computing. I am starting to feel much more settled now. The mortgage for the family home in the UK (pictured) was £2,500 per month 'There are lots of things I like about living in Australia. The weather is much nicer, there are not so many people, everyone is very friendly and talks to you. 'The hardest thing is being away from friends in the UK – although due to my age the number has been dwindling due to people passing away.' Jill's daughter Lesley, a speech and language therapist, was putting in a 60-hour week in the UK - but now works fewer hours, often finishing by lunchtime. Despite reduved hours, her salary is now 50 per cent higher than it was in the UK – and her job is much less stressful. While groceries largely cost the same, accommodation is nearly £700 cheaper per month. Instead of monthly mortgage payments of £2,500 the family now pay the equivalent of £1,800. 'The cost of living in the UK was so high,' Lesley said. 'I was working six days out of seven and doing a 60-hour week. Our mortgage was £350,000 and we were paying £2,500 monthly. 'We haven't bought a house in Australia yet – we are renting at the moment - but we are paying £1,800 a month which is a lot less. 'We are in a four-bedroom house with a pool, just 15 minutes drive from the beach and 20 minutes drive from the city centre. Pete with Lara and Annabelle on a family day out 'Instead of working six days a week I am working two full day and four half days, and I finish by 1.30pm.' Despite working fewer hours, Lesley is earning more money than she did in the UK. 'My salary is 50 per cent higher than it was in the UK. I was earning £50,000 a year before we moved, now I'm on the equivalent of £75,000.' An added bonus is that her salary stretches further due to cheaper utility bills. 'Gas and electricity is half what it costs in the UK,' she said. 'Cars are more expensive to buy but petrol is 50 per cent cheaper. Groceries cost about the same. Bread and pasta are more expensive, but meat is significantly cheaper.' However, there are some additional costs they didn't have in the UK. It costs £20 for a GP visit (free for children) and the family are paying for private health insurance. Lesley, who lived in Australia previously in the 90s, also cautioned that the cost does vary depending on which part of Australia you live in, with Sydney and Melbourne being more expensive than Perth. Both children have settled easily into their new schools and the family were impressed to see new subjects on the curriculum – stressing that budgeting is so important but not usually taught in the UK. 'Our eldest child is at a school that is in the top five in the state. She is learning Japanese and astronomy,' Lesley explained. 'She is learning about budgeting at school - mortgages, interest rates and how to read bank statements. There is a better variety of subjects on the curriculum and it's more interesting and fun. Jill's top tips for pensioners looking to emigrate to Australia Be aware that you have to check your visa small print very carefully to know what you are and aren't eligible for here. Jill has a self-supporting retiree visa. So although she is free to leave and re-enter Australia as much as she wants (some retirement visas don't), she gets no medical assistance from the Australian Government other than emergency medical care (e.g. visit to A & E - as reciprocal agreement between Oz and UK for this). She has private medical insurance but it doesn't cover everything. Join the Senior Citizens Centre – It's a good way of meeting people from the UK who are a similar age. Jill gets to go to something every day - indoor bowls, coffee mornings, art classes etc. Get to know the bus routes so you have your independence. 'A major impetus for us moving when we did was Lara starting secondary school. In Perth the school academic year runs from January to December and we timed the move so that she started on the first day of secondary school.' Lesley says the family are much happier since making the move. 'It's a better work/life balance. We are happier, it's better for the kids. It's always sunny and hot so everyone is in a better mood. We are all less stressed and more relaxed. 'It's an easier, slower-paced way of living. Life is less manic and much calmer,' she said. 'Because it's always sunny we are always out and about. In the UK we were cooped up indoors but in the summer here we sit out in the garden every evening. We spend our weekends at bbqs, at the beach or visiting waterfalls. We've even seen wild kangaroos at the rubbish tip.' Lesley admits she was concerned about how her mother would manage, and is relieved to see her settling in so well. 'She's made friends with lots of British ex pats her age. She goes four days week to the senior citizens club, she goes to art club and coffee mornings and now goes out with friends she's met at the coffee mornings,' Lesley said. Lesley previously lived in Australia for 10 years from 1993-2003. She has an Australian passport and both children have had dual UK and Australia passports since they were three months old. Pete is on a spousal visa and Jill is on a self-supporting retiree visa. She said that the only downside is missing family and friends in the UK, especially on occasions like Christmas. 'It felt very strange to spend Christmas Day on the beach and to see people putting up decorations when it was so hot,' she said. 'We tried to cook a traditional Christmas dinner but because it was so hot the chicken went off. 'I also really miss Amazon deliveries. You have to order two to three weeks in advance because things take so long to get here. 'But we have no regrets about leaving the UK - only that we didn't do it sooner.'
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Firm commits to delivering 1,200 jobs at former coal terminal
The agreement will underpin the company's plans to produce specialised subsea high voltage cables capable of transporting electricity generated by offshore wind farms in the UK and abroad. Executives and union leaders met in Glasgow to finalise the agreement as GMB, one of the biggest unions across the UK energy sector, urged UK and Scottish ministers to help accelerate the development. GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour said the ground-breaking agreement shows how the voice of workers and their communities can be harnessed to help create new jobs in green energy. A future look at the HDVC manufacturing site at Hunterston (Image: XLCC) She said: 'Too many workers believe the transition to renewables is being done to them, not with them. 'That must change and this agreement shows how. The voice of workers must shape industrial strategy and energy policies if our country is ever to turn talk into jobs. 'Only genuine and effective cooperation between industry, unions, and governments can help deliver the transformation needed in our manufacturing supply chains. 'We share the ambition of XLCC to create good, unionised jobs in Ayrshire and hope innovative agreements like this can be a template to help secure a new industrial future.' READ MORE: GMB said the UK Government's promise to create 650,000 new high-quality jobs will rest on harnessing the combined strength of industry and workers, and urged governments on both sides of the border to support the proposed cable plant at Hunterston. The agreement details how the business and union will work together to campaign for the development while building industry-leading industrial relations. The agreement is intended to pave the way to a full recognition agreement with collective bargaining as the workforce grows. XLCC chief executive Ian Douglas said: "This agreement is a significant step forward as we work to establish a new UK-based supply chain for HVDC subsea cable manufacturing. 'Our investment at Hunterston will create up to 1,200 skilled jobs and place Ayrshire at the heart of the UK's energy transition. This is a truly transformative opportunity for community and country. 'We're proud to be working in partnership with GMB to ensure these jobs offer long-term, high-quality opportunities in a growing global industry.'
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Flat-pack houses made from hemp spark outcry in Essex
Plans for thousands of flat-pack 'eco-homes' built with hemp have sparked a backlash from local residents in Essex. Net zero construction company Hemspan has put forward proposals for a 2,000-home new town on 320 acres of green belt land in Rochford, promising the world's first large-scale 'climate-positive' neighbourhood. Homes would be built with modular panels made from hemp mixed with structural timber, produced by a factory on the same land. Production would also require 5,000 hectares of land in Essex or nearby counties to grow hemp on. The developer said these homes would have net zero carbon emissions as well as remove additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere because CO2 is absorbed by hemp as it grows. Called Rochford Park, the project would also include a swanky four-star spa hotel, a school for children with special educational needs and a supermarket built with the same materials. Matt Belcher, founder of Hemspan, said the plans had a 'natural alignment' with Labour's housing development drive, which involves freeing up lower-quality green belt land for developments and setting compulsory housing targets for councils. Labour has increased Essex's housebuilding target by 37pc to 14,088 homes a year. 'They're taking their chances' However, some locals have objected to the plans, raising concerns about a lack of critical infrastructure for the thousands of homes proposed. Lee Ellis, a resident launching a campaign against the proposal called Stop Rochford Overdevelopment, said that 'everyone is viewing this project as a direct threat to the way they live their lives'. He said: 'We simply don't have the infrastructure for it. How would this area, the roads and even the sewage system cope with an additional 2,000 homes? It's unthinkable.' He added: 'This is all a function of Labour's new policies – it's very clear. I think developers are smelling a bit of blood in the water in regards to what can be done, and they're taking their chances.' Judy Hathaway, who lives in nearby Ashingdon, said the plans would 'obliterate the green belt'. She said: 'Rochford is a historic town, with a protected greenbelt that is being disregarded in favour of big housing companies.' Ms Hathaway added there was a 'saturation point' at 'which the quality of life for existing residents is negatively impacted by more housing'. She said: 'Doctors are full, dentists can't take on any more NHS patients. If you have an accident, make sure you time it right, because Southend A&E is always full and overflowing.' Mr Belcher said he was engaging with landowners to explore the creation of a 'new north-south connection' to prevent negative impacts on the town, and vowed to 'deliver the community infrastructure that's required'. He said there was a 'deep history of hemp farming in Rochford and in the South East', adding that the landowner was the biggest grower and processor of hemp in the 1990s and 2000s. Mr Belcher added that local opposition had been overplayed on social media and said even some opposing the project had told him that if homes had to be built there, they would rather have his team build them 'instead of the PLC housebuilders'. The developer intends to file a formal planning application early next year.
