Plans to build 35 apartments across two blocks on the former St Denys car showroom site, unused now for three years, were rejected by a council planning committee on Tuesday (Nov 22).
Article continues after this message...
The planning and rights of way panel accepted the officer’s recommendation – which was, as reported, to refuse planning permission.
The report to panel members said the proposed scheme would appear “an over-intensive form of development” that would “fail to add to the overall quality of the area or function well for its potential residents and would unacceptably affect the amenity of neighbouring residents”.
The applicant did however stress at the meeting that they would be willing to enter into a Section 106 agreement.
But panel members raised other issues with the scheme, notably accessibility: plans for one block did not include a lift, and stairs and amenity spaces were seen as difficult to access for disabled people.
‘Front door’ access at the rear of the property, with poor surveillance from the street, was also raised as a security concern.
As reported the application was a resubmission of a proposal for 48 flats that was previously refused. The new plans did meet a previous objection concerning the mix of housing included.
