A BACK and forth between a developer and the council over the number of bedrooms in a ‘gateway’ apartment block has continued – as a plan for three more flats has been submitted less than a month after a sixth storey was rejected.

The height of a 40-bed apartment block in Silver Street has been the subject of a number of planning applications in recent months after first being approved enthusiastically in September last year.

The most recent application by Khalid Hussain looks to rearrange the fifth floor of the ‘gateway’ apartment block and squeeze in an extra three bedrooms – pushing the total up to 43 rooms.

Worcester City Council planners rejected an application to add a sixth storey to the building in May having approved a five-storey building last year.

Councillors agreed the building would be an asset to the city but felt an extra storey would be too much.

Initial meetings between the developer and the city council when the plan was first submitted meant the final application included a five-storey building – despite a desire for Mr Hussain to build a taller building with six storeys.

LANDMARK: Five-storey housing block in Lowesmoor approved by council plannersREFUSED: Planners reject sixth storey for 'gateway' apartment block in Worcester

Having gained permission to build the apartment block, Mr Hussain then submitted a new application to add an extra storey.

The new application was submitted largely in reaction to a 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. It would have pushed the height of the building up by 2.7 metres.

In the approved application, permission was also granted to use the ground floor as a shop, restaurant, bar, pub or for offices.

The basement floor would also be used as a meeting room.