Revised flats plan for old Co-op car park in Henwick Road

But the updated scheme doesn’t appear to address residents’ biggest concern over the development.

EGM Real Estate wants to build 14 apartments on the old Co-op staff car park in Henwick Road.

Plans were originally submitted in May but a revised scheme has now been put forward following discussions with city council planning officers.

EMPTY: The former Co-op staff car park in Henwick Road (Image: Boughton Butler)

The developer said it felt the plans “could better respond to the existing built context by making significant yet positive changes”.

These include a redesign of the fourth storey of the building to include sloped sides and a flat roof “typical of more historic Georgian vernacular in the city”.

READ MORE: Parking fears over flats plan for former Co-op car park

The new plans also include a “large array” of solar panels on the roof, which would charge Tesla batteries located in common areas throughout the building, “substantially removing the need to use fossil fuels to heat spaces”.

But there is no increase on the seven parking spaces proposed for the site, although the developer now says half the flats will be marketed as ‘car-free’ rather than the spaces being allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

CHANGED: The new design includes a flat roof with sloped sides (Image: Boughton Butler)

It says it will encourage sustainable transport modes and adds: “It has been found there is ample on-street parking capacity should any of the owners of the ‘car-free’ apartments require it.”

A number of St John’s residents disagree and have objected to the plans, saying the lack of parking is a serious concern.

Reece Charlton said: “Parking is already scarce in the area. With households averaging one car at least now, there seems to be no consideration by the proposing party for the buyers to have somewhere to park their car and it's naive of the company putting forward this proposal to think that half the people that could live here will not own a car.”

Zach Woolams said the current proposal is “just going to create mayhem” and Tom Amies said it would “reduce available parking and overload an already overburdened area of the city”.