A PLAN to build more apartments in the city centre has been rejected by the council.

The proposal would have seen three new one-bed apartments built behind the recently converted Phoenix House off Broad Street in Worcester.

Planning officers at Worcester City Council said the application by Nick Carroll-headed Deansway Regeneration could not be approved because the “substandard” apartments would be too cramped.

A report outlining the council’s objection said: “The proposed development would provide some residential units in this sustainable city centre location. However, with no amenity space, the accommodation would be substandard.

“Moreover, the proposed development would, by virtue of its size, bulk, massing and siting in a prominent location, appear cramped on the site and would have an adverse impact upon the street scene and would fail to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the historic city conservation area.

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“The development would also harm highway safety through the loss of two existing parking spaces on the site, the lack of parking for the proposed flats, resulting in on- street parking, and the inability of cars leaving the site to do so in forwards gear due to the lack of turning space.

The main building fronting Broad Street, which was built in the 1960s, was converted into 17 apartments across four floors and a new office as part of work next to the busy Deansway by the same developer.

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The application said the new building would have sit next to the four-storey modern-looking extension built last year with a design that fits in with surrounding older buildings rather than the modern extension.

A row of buildings in Broad Street have been taken over by developers in the last two years with the aim of converting the empty and disintegrating upper floors into new apartments.

Plans to build apartments in the upper floors of the neighbouring building previously home to Indian restaurant Karma were approved by the council last year and a plan to convert another three-storey grade II-listed building in Broad Street, previously home to dry cleaners Nice Stitchers, was scrapped last year before a decision was made.