News / St Werburghs
Warehouse to be replaced with flats
Despite opposition from dozens of local residents, planning permission has been granted for 41 new flats on the site of an old warehouse.
A four-storey building is set to replace Ever Ready House on Narroways Road in St Werburgh’s, with all of the flats in the block next to Narroways nature reserve due to be affordable housing.
Councillors on planning committee A voted unanimously to approve the scheme, which developers said would “improve the setting and visual amenity of Narroways Road, through the removal of a large building in close proximity to the existing houses and redevelopment, to provide a more attractive development, softened by increased areas of green infrastructure and a more open outlook”.
The new development is set to double the number of homes on Narroways Road, a cul-de-sac off Glenfrome Road – image: Narroways Land Ltd
Addressing the planning meeting on Wednesday afternoon, local resident Sam Gilroy said it was a “fantasy” that the new residents would have less need for cars than people living nearby, with the number of parking spaces recently reduced from 38 to 32.
“Existing residents and our new neighbours are going to have to live with this arrangement for decades to come,” Gilroy added.
“It would be great to build some affordable units with parking but 31 not 41.”
A council officer said she considered the amount of parking “is actually quite generous for a site that is in this location”.
Lockleaze councillor David Wilcox said he had previously called in the application for not having sufficient affordable housing, claiming that developers have only in the last fortnight promised the scheme would contain 100 per cent affordable housing.
Wilcox said: “Give the site’s history over the past five years, other Narroways residents and I will be watching like hawks for any infringement of any planning conditions.”
The planning application was approved unanimously.
Green councillor for Clifton Down, Serena Ralston, arrived back late from a break before the application was discussed meaning that her fellow Green councillor Rob Bryher, chairing his last meeting, ruled she was unable to take part in the debate and vote.
Main image: Narroways Land Ltd
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