PLANS to convert a Worcester guesthouse “of rather dubious repute” into flats have been approved, despite fears about the impact on parking nearby.
Members of Worcester City Council’s planning committee said they shared the concerns of Ombersley Road residents, who believe the transformation of the bed and breakfast at number 28 into four self-contained flats will lead to further overcrowding on the congested streets outside.
Claines councillor and committee member Sue Askin said that apart from the concerns about parking, all the neighbours she had spoken to were relieved that the bed and breakfast was to close.
“Without exception, the objectors’ letters say they are rather pleased that a guesthouse of rather dubious repute is being made into something rather better,” she said. “But I’ve had many representations about the parking problems along the main road there.”
Under the plans, one off-road parking space will be provided for each of the four new flats.
But there are fears the arrangement of the four spaces will encourage at least two occupants to park on the roads outside instead – the parking spaces are laid out in tandem behind the property, with the front two spaces blocked in by the rear two.
“It’s an awfully long walk from those parking spaces to the front doors of the flats,” Coun Askin said.
“Those parking spaces are not going to be used and would be impossible to administer.”
The council’s deputy leader Barry Mackenzie-Williams agreed, saying: “Almost certainly the people living in the front spaces will just park on the road, right by their front doors.” Coun Askin said converting the guesthouse into fewer flats would have solved the problem.
“I think it’s a shame that instead of having a good opportunity to make this into a two-flat conversion with proper parking spaces and landscaped grounds, we are presented with a cramped space with inadequate parking.”
However, Worcestershire County Council’s highways department said it had no objection to the parking arrangements.
Its report said: “Although the tandem parking arrangements are not ideal for separate dwellings, we have to consider that four flats is potentially better than the established guesthouse of 10 rooms, in terms of traffic and parking. Therefore (I have) no objections.”
The committee decided that the application could therefore not be refused on these grounds, and passed it by six votes to one.
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