Plan for extra flats in Barnham rejected

The Arun District Council members unanimously said the outline proposals to add to the 30 flats at Elm Dale would detrimentally affect the visual amenities of the area.

The extra flats would also interfere with the privacy and enjoyment of the existing residents, the development control committee members agreed.

Their decision overturned the recommendation of the council's planning officers who said the application by Leasehold Management Ltd should be approved.

The company wanted to locate the new flats on the car park and communal gardens area of the current flats in Elm Grove South. A total of 29 new parking spaces would be created.

Committee chairman Cllr Jean Goad (Barnham) said the impact of the proposals would be completely unacceptable if they went ahead.

Cllr David Biss (Bognor Orchard) said: 'This design is going to ruin the outlook of the residents.

'I think it's overbearing. The new car park at the back would take away a lot of amenities from the residents.'

Cllr Jacqueline Maconachie (Aldwick West) said it was ill-conceived to route the access road to the new car park right behind the existing flats. This would have an unacceptable effect on the residents.

The committee had received 43 individual letters of objection to the proposals and 224 standard letters. Eastergate Parish Council had also protested.

Elm Dale Residents' Association secretary Ruth Flint told the committee the proposed flats would squeeze too many people on to the site while taking away much of their open space.

'The green space will be cut by up to half and there will be another 12 flats to share it with,' she stated.

The additional parking spaces would fail to match the extra vehicles likely to be owned by the inhabitants of the new flats.

This would lead to more overcrowding of Elm Grove South as well as taking away a waiting area used by parents of children at nearby St Philip Howard Catholic High School. 'Elm Grove South can't cope with the traffic now. To add more vehicles would be a disaster. Emergency vehicles have had severe problems getting through and have had to take drastic action.'

Chris Lowrey, the association's chairman, said the proposals were unacceptable.

However, Leasehold Management's planning agent, Michael Grey, said: 'This proposal has been carefully thought through.

'The proposed block would sit comfortably in the street scene and retain a very comfortable level of amenity space to the site and rear of the block.

'The proposal is an efficient and effective use of an unsightly car parking area.'

The extra flats were the latest attempt to add development to the site. The most recent scheme was for 18 flats.