Plans for Barrack Road in Christchurch – 25 flats with no parking spaces, but 54 storage bays for bicycles

A PROPOSAL to build 25 flats with no parking spaces has been submitted for Barrack Road with developers claiming it fits in with BCP Council’s "car free" approach to apartments.

The applicants want to demolish a nursing home known as The Laurels and an existing office and warehouse at 195 and 195a and replace them with two blocks of flats and three offices.

In their joint application, companies Volsen Holdings Ltd & Geejay Ltd said the 25 one and two-bedroom flats will have no car parking spaces although there will be a total of 54 storage bays for bicycles.

A statement said the site was “set on a prime transport corridor where residential development is encouraged".

It added: "As a consequence, there are many buses running, and it is only a short walk to the train station and town centre.”

But according to one objector the "infrastructure and services for this area are already under pressure, there is no parking allowed for which will mean people will park in nearby roads which are already full”.

They added that it was also "extremely concerning that planning permission is being considered for 117 new flats on Barrack Road with no regard whatsoever for the impact this will have on local amenities, pollution levels, health services, schools, congestion and traffic”.

As reported in the A&T, an application for a block of 34 flats on the site of a car wash in Barrack Road was recently turned down by BCP Council because there were no parking spaces for residents.

But the developers behind the new proposal claim that having no vehicle parking on site is in line with a “car free approach which is supported by the local planning authority which is in line with the recently adopted BCP parking standards”.

It also said the site's location means it “requires no residential parking for one to two-bedroom flats” and is in “full accordance with the council’s parking standards supplementary planning document".

The flats would consist of one two-storey and one three-storey block, with patios for ground level apartments and balconies for the rest.

There would also be a community garden and roof terrace.

One objector said the apartments would mean a “further loss of light and privacy for us”.