Boss defends yellow warehouse plan

2:08pm Saturday 23rd August 2008

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A BOSS of a warehouse firm has defended a plan to put a building on the A40 into High Wycombe in the company's trademark yellow.

Andrew Watson, property director of the Big Yellow Self Storage Company, said the deisgn was "appropriate" and "quite attractive".

The firm has been given planning permission for the building despite residents fearing that the yellow warehouse could prove to be a major eyesore.

An application from The Big Yellow Self Storage Company for a warehouse building in London Road, High Wycombe, was approved by Wycombe District Council last week.

The site lies between Currys and Homebase on the south side of London Road at the Hatters Lane roundabout and contains a car sales and repairs business.

Andrew Watson, property director of The Big Yellow Self Storage Company, said the design was a result of extensive discussions with the council.

He said: "There's a range of colours. There's some yellow which reflect our corporate identity but at the same time we have designed it in an appropriate way.

"We feel as though the design is appropriate for the setting and is quite attractive. Whether or not you like the colour is a subjective thing."

He said the colour used will be an "Aztec yellow" and the timber cladding, grey tiles and green roof gave it a balanced appearance. Trees and plants may also be placed at the site to "soften the views."

The decision was met with dismay from some residents and councillors who feel it will be an eyesore.

Tim Bird, 46, a sign writer, of Hatters Lane, High Wycombe said:"It looks like a yellow fluorescent jacket. We live directly opposite so it's in our sight line. I'm not best pleased because I get the feeling that, unfortunately, the way it tends to go a lot of the time, the majority, if not all of the committee, don't live in the town and it doesn't affect them.

"I'm not someone who says don't stick it my backyard but it's very large, very bright and you can almost guarantee it's going to be lit at night. Already, when you get up at night to go to the bathroom, you don't need to put the light on and this will certainly add to our light pollution."

The High Wycombe Society also opposed the plans.

And Cllr Trevor Snaith, who represents the Rye Mead ward, said: "It's a mistake because you're going to have this big yellow blotch, a carbuncle, on one of Wycombe's main roads, which isn't going to be very attractive.

"The WDC Development Control Committee is dominated by councillors who don't live in the town and therefore they don't appreciate the needs of the town."

A proposal to build a Tesco Express and four flats was rejected at the same meeting. Cllr Snaith said: "I have to question the judgement of some of the people on the DCC.

"How can they block the Tesco but let this one through?'' Cllr Pam Priestley, chairman of the DCC, said: "All the councillors are elected equally and everybody is there to judge things objectively and not subjectively and that's what the committee did on this occasion.

"A lot of questions were asked and when they had been satisfied then they came to their decision. It isn't a question of town or country. I don't think Cllr Snaith could say it wasn't dealt with fairly."

A decision on the building's signs and whether it can be lit at night will be taken at a future planning meeting