COUNCIL planners are set to reject a plan to add another storey to a 'gateway' city centre apartment block again - after already rejecting last year for being too high.

The 40-bed apartment block in Silver Street was enthusiastically backed by Worcester City Council’s planning committee last September but a decision only came after the original plan for a six-storey building was reduced to five storeys.

Developer Khalid Hussain resubmitted an application with a hope to build a six-storey building – around 2.7 metres higher – largely in reaction to the neighbouring 98-bed apartment block which was approved in 2016 and is due to be built around the corner opposite St Martin’s Gate car park.

Mr Hussain said allowing the 98-bed apartment block – which would be two metres higher than the Silver Street apartment building – to be built had set the “contextual precedent” for the area.

A decision will be made by the city council's planning on Thursday (May 23) with planning officers recommending the plan is refused.

A report by the council's planning department said that whilst the overall development is welcomed the extra height would be "harmful", make the building too dominant and reflect badly on neighbouring buildings.

Council planners also said the extra storey was "unnecessary" and adding it would not stop it from becoming the 'landmark' building the developer had sought to create.

The report also looked favourably on the extra homes but could not support the scheme as more attention should be given to preserving the city's heritage assets.

The new rearranged plans include three extra rooms pushing the houses in multiple occupation (HMO) aspect of the apartment block up to 43 rooms plus an extra three apartments.

In the original approved application, permission was given to use the ground floor as a shop, restaurant, bar, pub or for professional and financial offices and for the remaining four floors to house 40 rooms as well as communal kitchens, bathrooms and toilets.

Plans to build office space and meeting rooms in the basement of the building have also been included.

New artist’s impressions included in the application show the top two storeys set back from the rest of the building which are said to make the building look less overbearing.