Demolition plans approved (From Worcester News)
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Demolition plans approved
8:30am Sunday 23rd December 2012 in News
Demolition plans approved
PLANS to demolish two large bungalows and build eight new houses have been approved by planners, despite objections from neighbours.
Worcester City Council’s planning committee approved the plans, put forward by LMD Developments Ltd, to demolish two post-war bungalows in Henwick Road and build seven five-bedroom houses and one three-bedroom maisonette apartment at a meeting last week.
Permission was granted, subject to a legal agreement, which states a financial contribution will go towards improvements to educational facilities to schools in the area.
But residents living near to the site in Ferry Close, said they feared the new houses could be built for students from nearby Worcester University.
Six letters of objection were sent to the council who were concerned about loss of privacy, noise and parking.
Stephen Bond, was one of six Ferry Close residents who came to the meeting objecting to the plans.
“We feel the proposed application is far too big for the site and we feel this will be [used] for student lets and not for family use due to the proximity of the university,” he said.
“If this is for students that’s another 35 people on that site. Students only live on the premises temporarily and do not care about the look of the care of the property.
“If this development goes ahead we will be concerned with a mini campus. Parking is an ongoing frustration for us. We already have residents parking who live in Henwick Road.”
Bob Pender, Worcestershire County Council transportation partnership manager, said: “On face value we have before us an application for eight new family dwellings.
“The applicant has offered a communal parking area of 17 new spaces. We consider 17 spaces for eight new family dwellings as adequate provided they are unallocated to specific properties.”
But ward Councillor Simon Geraghty, who was not at the meeting but said in a letter he was concerned traffic and parking would be more of a problem if the properties were built for students.
He requested planners to restrict the use of the new houses for families only.
“I would like to formally register my concern in relation to these new homes being for multple occupancy,” he said.
Councillors voted in favour of adding extra conditions to the plans which include a rule that the developer must apply for further planning permission before changing the use of the developement to multiple occupation.
Comments(13)
leoalfie
says...
9:35pm Sun 23 Dec 12
purplecat17
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11:43pm Sun 23 Dec 12
Keith B
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8:27am Mon 24 Dec 12
From an opposite point of view, as a student landlord, these units seem ideal purchases. I will need to work out the margins, though with this developer they will probably not come on the market.
The Doosra
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11:17am Mon 24 Dec 12
Regrettably, while there is money to be made from student lets the number of houses in St Johns being converted into multi-occupancy will only increase.
The City Council should seek an urgent meeting with the University with a view to the Uni being encouraged to buy one or more brownfield sites in the City for the purpose of developing student accommodation. When I say "encouraged" the University should be given an ultimatum that further expansion plans will not get past the planners unless they agree to a realistic programme of building there own student accommodation.
In thit way, student lets will become less profitable for private developers.
Keith B
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2:17pm Mon 24 Dec 12
The Doosra
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3:04pm Mon 24 Dec 12
Keith B wrote:If there was no money in it - they wouldn't do it.
They are not THAT profitable now. The reality of letting to students is a complete redecoration every year which eats away half the profits. A getting the rent isn't that easy either !!!!!!!!! It isn't the "sit back and let the money roll in" life that it is sometimes thought to be. Landlords have to really work for their money - which is most cases is simply a way of saving for a pension.
Keith B
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4:24pm Mon 24 Dec 12
Jabbadad
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4:38pm Mon 24 Dec 12
As to being a student let landlord there certainly is a risk, I used to visit student digs for renovation works and I can assure you that houses which look nice outside are hovels inside created by the students, and the girls were among the worse. When my son was away at Uni he said the lads could get accommodation easier than the girls.
But having said this we cannot be surprised about planning decisions when we were aware that some 3,000 extra students could come to a bigger university and the question was posted several times as to where would they live. And the council is reminded how much income the University brings to Worcester. So it's here and we have to grim and bear it.
Keith B
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7:34pm Mon 24 Dec 12
Our houses incidentally are not in Worcester but another University town.
As a Landlord we do try to to provide slightly better accomodation than the norm providing Sky TV with a sports/film package, broadband and a number of extras not always provided in student lets. So we have a queue of students wanting to get into our accomodation.
But it is a business like any other. The problem is expanding - buying more houses - as the Banks don't see buying a house in the same way as another business might ask for a loan to buy a new machine or even stock (which are what the houses actually are).
Nowadays we regard Landlord as a bit of a dirty word - but actually most Landlords are good people simply putting the money they make in their day to day business's to good use as a sort of pension fund.
The Doosra
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11:08pm Mon 24 Dec 12
If the Uni and the City Council get their act together (I might not hold my breath) and agree to build some dedicated student accommodation within the city, the demand for private student digs will lessen thus reducing the number of perfectly good family houses being converted to student use.
mauro balbino
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5:59am Wed 26 Dec 12
"(...) the number of houses in St Johns being converted into multi-occupancy will only increase (...)"
Whilst living in St John for the past nine years, that's a phenomenon I worry about.
Standards of living are plummeting down faster than any serious local policy should allow.
Jabbadad
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10:22am Wed 26 Dec 12
Whereas the now University who have and still are causing many of the current problems choose to bury their heads in the sand as it were. By introducing carpark charges on the University they are responsible for the on-road parking issues, (which they deny) issues which include blocking pathways and obstructing driveways to residents homes. After several years of huge problems caused by the Uni and faced by the local residents, I hear that the introduction of yellow lines, while also punishing the residents has helped. So yes we have to have a University it seems that those decision makers at the University need to go to other cities to see how the two populations can exist more harmoniously side by side.
At Leicester they have over 30,000 students on split campuses and lots of rented houses which the Student unions and universities have input into, and they have free Uni buses frequently travelling between sites, and students just didn't need to have a car. So wake up Worcester Uni, while we see your rapid expansion, you also need to address the problems that you are causing.
janie07 says...
4:23pm Sun 23 Dec 12