Town centre flats rejected after parking concerns

The flats would have been built on Cheltenham High Street

Plans for a housing development in a town centre have been rejected following concerns about parking.

The proposals, which included 12 one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom flats on Cheltenham High Street, were put before the town's planning committee on Thursday.

Residents at nearby Honeybourne Gate shared concerns the four-storey building was out of keeping with the area and would have an overbearing impact on nearby apartments exclusively occupied by older people.

But Oliver Rider, the applicant's agent, said the proposals would redevelop a "tired and redundant" site in the town.

The plans included 12 one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom flats

He said the site opposite had recently been redeveloped with a four-storey apartment block.

"The current application has been designed to follow the scale of that building and clearly we are a lot smaller than the neighbouring Honeybourne Gate care development which is another development as well," he added.

Cheltenham Borough Council officers said future residents would not be allowed to take out a parking permit, due to the "car less" scheme in the town.

Objectors to the plans said they feared the lack of spaces would lead to "illegal parking" on the narrow footway in Lower High Street.

The committee voted to reject the scheme over loss of amenity, road safety and health and environmental concerns.