A NEW apartment block on Grove Hill Road – that has become known as the ‘pink’ building’ – has been granted planning permission after the developers bowed to pressure to reduce the height of the construction.
Situated opposite Hoopers, the four storey project will span the area between numbers eight and 16 Grove Hill Road, resulting in the loss of several commercial units and a car park used by the department store’s account holders.
Proposals for the development, which will create eight apartments and nine car parking spaces for residents, were submitted by Parkstone Ltd – the parent company of Hoopers – on April 1.
However, despite original objections leading to a revision of the plans from five floors to four on October 27, the conservation area development continues to attract public opposition.
Nicholas Pope, a member of the Friends of Calverley Grounds and resident of the adjacent Mountfield Road, said although he was ‘keen’ to see the site developed and welcomes the scaled down plans, he will not support the scheme.
He said: “I continue to oppose this building as it does not blend in with conservation area in which it would be built and the loss of the Hoopers account holders car park is very likely to cause considerable congestion on Grove Hill Road.”
Others taking part in the consultation raised concerns over the ‘odd’ placement of residential units on the ground floor, the impact it will have on neighbours’ sunlight and the planned pink rendering.
Members of the council’s planning committee gave their approval on November 30 after accepting that the proposal does constitute sustainable development, ‘but only marginally so.’
Council documents state the ‘highly accessible location’, the boost to the housing supply at a time of ‘acute shortage’ and the dilapidated state of some of the buildings listed for demolition as reasons for giving the go ahead.
