'˜Dangerous' changes to Warwick Road housing plan refused

'˜Dangerous' changes to a plan to build apartments, houses and garages on a site off Warwick Road were refused at a planning meeting held this week.
The narrow entrance to the site from Warwick Road.The narrow entrance to the site from Warwick Road.
The narrow entrance to the site from Warwick Road.

Warwick District Council’s planning committee rejected the changes to the so-called ‘Warwick Place’ project by ten votes to one at a meeting on Tuesday May 23, despite them being recommended for approval by planning officers.

The changes proposed to keep 135 Warwick Road mostly intact instead of demolishing it, making the access road next to the building much narrower and raising fears over pedestrian safety.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Before the meeting, several objectors pointed out the retention of number 135 could block drivers’ views of pedestrians if they were turning right into the narrow road from Warwick Road.

And because of these safety fears, planning committee chairman Cllr John Cooke (Con, St John’s) moved to refuse the plans, which he said he rarely does.

Following the meeting, he said: “Planning policy does say you have to make provisions for safe passage of pedestrians.

“But regardless of any planning considerations, I think the committee felt if anyone had an accident it would have been on their shoulders.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cllr Cooke also hoped the applicant would reconsider demolishing number 135 to provide safer access.

Outline planning permission was been granted for the nine apartments, three houses and three garages in 2012, meaning the build will still go ahead in principle.