THE first phase of the Maltings development has stalled after plans for a new hotel, library and gym were refused by planning chiefs.

The revised plans for 30-36 Fisherton Street, the former British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Original Factory Shop block, came before Wiltshire Council's Strategic Planning Committee today (Wednesday, June 19).

The application, which was submitted last December, sparked concerns over the size and relocation of the library as well as design and impact on the conservation area leading to plans being revised.

County and city councillor Derek Brown said: "For many of us this is a really exciting time for the city recovering from events of last year. This application starts the process of regeneration which is so important to the future of our city. I don't follow the line that being an historic site we should stagnate and stand still."

However, councillors concerns centred on the design.

Councillor Graham Wright said he could not support the application, calling the design "appalling". He also said there was "too much compromise" and they were being led by finances.

The Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership has allocated £6.1million of funding for the Maltings development, which has to be spent by 2021.

Councillor James Sheppard said: "This particular building is not a particularly attractive building and certainly does not preserve or enhance this building."

He said it was the "wrong design" and he could not support it.

But Councillor Fleur de Rhe-Philipe said there was a need for extra hotel beds, adding: "We have been waiting for so long for the regeneration of Salisbury to come let's not stumble at the first hurdle. Of course any building can be better."

Councillor Fred Westmoreland said he recognised the need to create a link between Market Place and the square but said there were "so many things wrong with the design".

He said he did not have a problem with having a hotel there, adding: "I'm aware Salisbury needs hotels and tourism. The library needs to go somewhere and this is giving us somewhere for it to go. It will get us going on the entire project. But I also believe as the first step on this new redevelopment of a whole quarter of this city it has to start properly.

"I'm afraid the current building is awful, shouldn't have been allowed in the first place. It could have been so much better with a little bit of thought and to replace it with something that doesn't significantly raise the bar. If this is the beginning of the redevelopment of the central car park, Maltings area it is going to set the benchmark for future developments. The only thing that happens when you do that it goes downhill. Frankly it hasn't got very far to go."

Councillors voted to refuse the application. Three voted in support while four were against the plans. There was one abstention.

Earlier in the meeting councillors voted to support the Masterplan for the Maltings and Central Car Park redevelopment.