AN application to demolish an existing house and erect a five-storey block of flats has drawn the ire of nearby residents who say they will “fight” the proposals.
Poole-based developers Towncourt Homes have submitted plans for 12 large flats to be constructed in Alton Road, Parkstone, with allocated parking and a mixture of three and five habitable rooms per flat.
The proposal offers nine two-bedroom flats and two three-bed penthouses which developers say will provide a “flexible living environment” for potential occupiers.
An additional storey of basement car parking is planned alongside provision for surface parking and bicycle storage.
The application said: “This scheme can and will deliver the sustainable benefits of economic growth, environmental improvements, and social development. The applicant is respectfully asking that outline planning permission is approved without delay.”
However, nearly 50 displeased residents living in and around the proposed site have officially submitted comments highlighting issues relating to its visual amenity, size and worries over an increase in traffic.
Resident Martin Bailey told the Echo: “The local neighbours have begun to fight against this proposal. [This] would be an outrageous eyesore that is far too big for the plot.”
Others expressed similar concerns the planned building would “dwarf” that of the neighbouring property at 7 Alton Road. Mr Bailey added: “There will be harmful impact on ground floor flats at 5 and 7 Windsor Road in that overshadowing and loss of natural light will occur in winter afternoons and summer evenings.”
Planners, meanwhile, deny such light issues would occur, stating: “The layout of the proposed flats shall cause no material harm to the amenities of the neighbouring flatted development in any direction.
“The block of flats (7 Windsor Road) to the north-west of the application site offers no window on the side elevation of the building so the proposed development will not cause loss of meaningful natural light.”
Regarding the size of the building possibly “dominating” the street scene, planners say their design to step the fourth and fifth floors back beyond the preceding floor below is “consistent with flatted development elsewhere and ensures that higher buildings do not appear dominant to the street scene”.
The application is still live for residents to comment. It can be found by searching APP/21/01845/P on BCP Council’s planning website.
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