Plans Submitted For New Cultural Community Space Next To St Helens Bookshop

A new flexible cultural community space could open next to an Isle of Wight second-hand bookshop.

Kate Gatenby has asked County Hall for a change of use of 19 Lower Green Road in St Helens, currently a vacant house beside The Goose bookshop.

The proposed commercial unit at the site would operate as a stand-alone premises, while keeping a ‘close functional relationship’ with the existing bookshop, according to a Design and Access Statement from Arc Associates.

Future uses touted in the document include a publicly accessible coworking and desk space, flexible venue for cultural and literary events such as author readings, storytelling evenings and book-related gatherings and occasional community use contributing to the social and cultural life of the village.

Ms Gatenby’s application is also for related internal alterations, the reinstatement of a glazed timber shopfront door, advertising boards and changes to windows and doors.

Arc Associates said:

“The proposal seeks to reinstate a small commercial unit to the front portion of the ground floor under Class E, while retaining the remainder of the building in residential use.

“This ensures that the proposals do not result in the loss of a dwelling and do not materially impact housing supply within the village.

"The applicant also owns Newlands House, occupied by The Goose Books, an established second-hand book business on Lower Green Road.

“The proposed commercial unit at 19 Lower Green Road will operate as a stand-alone commercial premises, while maintaining a close functional relationship with the existing bookshop.

“It is proposed to reinstate a connecting doorway between the two buildings, for which there is historic evidence.”

The Isle of Wight Council’s public consultation on proposal 26/00156/FUL is live until April 7 and a decision is expected on April 28.