By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
There are fears parking chaos will worsen in a “rat run” Cheltenham street as planners have approved plans for 12 new flats.
Cape Home Ltd has been granted permission to change the use, refurbish and alter 11 Hamilton Street in Charlton Kings.
The proposal for the building which has a mix of brick and render exterior, with a rendered facade to the street, beneath a mix of pitched and flat roofs was considered by Cheltenham Borough Council’s planning committee on August 21.
The building is in a relatively poor state of repair and currently detracts from the area, officers said in their report.
The application proposes the change of use, refurbishment and alteration of the existing building to create seven one-bed and five two-beds and will not include parking spaces.
Just under 30 people objected to the proposals raising serious concerns over the lack of parking provision, highway safety, increased pressure on service, overdevelopment of the site and privacy fears.
Julia George, an objector, spoke against the scheme at the meeting in the Municipal Offices.
She said residents and businesses are in favour of the site being redeveloped but have serious concerns over the latest proposals.
“There are insufficent spaces now who compete for spaces with staff and customers from the Sixways businesses,” she said.
“The plan to add another 12 homes nearly doubling the households in this street with no additional parking will exacerbate an already dire situation.
“The lack of spaces and very tight parking cause other issues, specifically a rat run, especially during rush hours of mini buses, lorries, commuters, and school traffic racing through the narrow gaps,” she said.
“Residents are forced to park considerable distances from their homes.”
She said people park their cars on double yellow lines at corners, junctions, across H marks, and dropped kerbs, contrary to existing regulations causing chaos.
“[There’s] dangerous reversing onto busy roads as there’s no room to pass, causing frustration and road rage, cars dangerously mounting the narrow pavements and wrecking the curb stones in the conservation zone.
“Road blockages due to deliveries and unloading and pavement parking forcing people with walking aids, wheelchairs and pushchairs into the road.
“We’re very clear that 12 extra households with a similar number of cars or more without any parking provision can only make this area more difficult and dangerous for everyone.
“Also, we regard the current plan as overdevelopment and the designer materials not in keeping with the locality.”
Councillor Iain Dobie (LD, College) said the accommodation would most likely be used by young people moving up the property ladder.
“This is a group of people who are suffering greatly in Cheltenham,” he said.
“They don’t have sufficient accommodation; this is offering them something of a lifeline.
He said there was “no immense” amount of traffic involved and residents would be cycling and walking to town.
“I don’t believe the scare stories of traffic are correct.”
But Cllr Frank Allen (LD, Swindon Village) said he has personally experienced moving from student accommodation without the ability to park on the street or move things out of a car.
“It’s nigh on impossible to actually move into those properties,” he said.
“You call my remarks on traffic a travesty, I call yours a fantasy.
“There is going to be a significant impact. I agree with having the site redeveloped but we are kidding ourselves if we think this is going to be sustainable development.
“There are better ways to go about redeveloping the site.
“If we want to have people actually flourish and prosper in this neighborhood they need live in a space where they are going to be respected.
“I don’t think the ground is there in this development.”
The committee voted to approve the plans by six votes to one with two abstentions.