Service cabling trays and trunking at Diving Museum No 2 Battery, Gosport

“LISTED BUILDING APPLICATION - INSTALLATION OF SERVICE CABLING TRAYS AND TRUNKING (RETROSPECTIVE) (CONSERVATION AREA) Diving Museum No 2 Battery Stokes Bay Road Gosport Hampshire PO12 2QT”

“Listed Building Consent is sought for internal works to the museum which include new cabling to power lighting and displays, new steel service trays to conceal the cables and galvanised trunking fixed to the wall. Part of these works have been completed.”

“This application relates to former No.2 Gun Battery, circa 1860, built as part of the fortifications to protect Portsmouth Harbour and now designated as a Grade II* Listed Building. The structure was designed to house guns within casemates, supported by a series of ancillary rooms, and was further developed during the Second World War. The Battery is currently operated by the Historic Diving Society as a Diving Museum.”

“The surrounding area has a mixed character with large areas of open space extending along the seafront to the east and west. Immediately to the south there is a large public car park flanked by a café and a small toilet block. Immediately to the north is a mobile home park which also extends across Stokes Bay Road to the east.”

“The proposed works form part of a wider programme of works at the Battery which have, in part, been the subject of previous applications for Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent detailed above. These all relate to the ongoing restoration of the Battery and the expansion of the Museum into areas of the building which had not previously been accessed by the public.”

“The proposed works are minor in nature and would have minimal impact on the original fabric of the building and are considered essential to provide the restoration of the Battery. The materials being used are sympathetic and appropriate to the building.”

“The Gosport Society No response received.”

“The Board was advised that the application was retrospective as it had initially been thought that consent had been granted as part of previous approvals. Members complimented the excellent job that had been undertaken in restoring the museum.”

“RESOLVED: That application 25/00367/LBA be approved subject to the conditions in the report of the Head of Development Management.”

“The works hereby consented shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans and documents: 1005_900 D 1005_901 D”

“The removal of the trunking, service trays and cabling shall be removed when no longer needed and the masonry to be made good, Reason: - To ensure an appropriate finish in the interests of preserving the special architectural or historic interest of the building and to comply with Policies LP10, LP11 and LP12 of the Gosport Borough Local Plan 2011-2029, and the aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework (2023).”