Demolition of commercial garages and related buildings and erection of 5No three storey town houses and apartment block containing twelve apartments,...

Refusal Reasons

• ✗The height and mass of the apartment building and the northern elevation with its bulk and general absence of interesting features would have an adverse impact on the Conservation Area and streetscene generally, whether the viewer is close by on Cross Street or Stanley Road or further afield, contrary to Environment Policy 35 and General Policy 2b, c and g of the Strategic Plan.
• ✗The height and mass of the proposed apartment building would have an adverse impact on the light and outlook available from 21, 23, 25 Christian Street, 27 and 29, Stanley Terrace, 21 and 26, Circular Road and Octagon House, Cross Street contrary to General Policy 2g of the Strategic Plan.
• ✗The height and mass of the terraced building closest to 3, Stanley Road would have an adverse impact on the light and outlook from the only windows which serve the bathroom and bedroom of this property and as such the development would fail to accord with General Policy 2g of the Strategic Plan.
• ✗The proposed development would not make adequate provision for car parking spaces within the building in accordance with the standards of the Strategic Plan (Appendix Seven) and there is insufficient information to demonstrate that this would not have an unacceptable impact on on-street parking and highway safety in the area. The development is therefore contrary to Transport Policy 7 and General Policy 2h of the Strategic Plan.
• ✗The development does not demonstrate that it would have an acceptable impact on highway safety, through the inclusion of features within or above the public highway which are not acceptable to the highway authority and by the absence of correctly drawn visibility splays at junctions. It has not been demonstrated that there is sufficient visibility for users of the proposed garaged parking spaces for them to be used safely. The proposal is therefore contrary to Transport Policy 4 and General Policy 2h and i of the Strategic Plan.
• ✗The proposal fails to make appropriate provision for affordable housing or public open space. Whilst a commuted sum towards the provision of public open space may be acceptable in this case, no details of this are provided in the application. Given the nature and location of the site, the provision of affordable housing should be made on site. It is not accepted that there are sufficient grounds not to provide this on site and as such the application fails to accord with Housing Policy 5 and Recreation Policies 3 and 4 of the Strategic Plan.