Cheylesmore apartments expansion thrown out amid concerns over 'horrendous' parking...

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Design was also an issue noted by the committee



An expansion of a Coventry apartment block has been thrown out by councillors who feared “horrendous” parking would be made worse.

Plans proposed extending Quinton Parade, on Daventry Road, Cheylesmore, with a new floor to provide 13 extra one-bedroom apartments.

The two-storey site is a mixed-use building with 12 shops below, and the new bid would have brought the total number of apartments to 50.

However, no new parking provision was provided for the 1950s building which sparked concerns it would overload an area already at “breaking point”.

Currently there are 31 spaces to the rear for residents and visitors and a further 21 public spaces in front for shop visitors, which planning officer Owain Williams deemed acceptable.

He added: “Although there is no parking provided, there was a justification provided that showed there is parking availability in the area.”

A 32-name petition backed by city MP Zarah Sultana and a further 21 letters of objections argued against a recommendation to approve.

Councillor Roger Bailey, supporting residents, said: “It’s about quality of life and increase of people on the site.

“People are worried about the additional living spaces on the top above an existing top floor set of apartments. It wasn’t built for that.

“There is concern about additional car parking. You are building 13 apartments without any extra car parking.”

A resident, Judy Garmond, said parking provision was already “at breaking point” and new vehicles without additional spaces will “add further strain”.

Agent for the applicant Lee Ward argued parking currently was “not fully utilised” and that the scheme should be approved as it hits council policy on a “sustainable brownfield site”.