Planners have refused to approve Red Kite’s plans to build new housing in High Wycombe after residents complained about parking issues.
The housing association planned to build three two-storey properties, each with four bedrooms, in a terraced block along Gayhurst Road.
Access for cars would be to the rear of the site, with two parking spaces, a private garden and secure cycle storage for each property.
The new homes would have replaced the existing 14 garages, at the corner of Hicks Farm Way and Gayhurst Road, which would have been demolished.
However, planning officers refused the application on the grounds that they could not be sure that Red Kite’s new homes would not be at risk from flooding and would not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere due to the housing association providing ‘insufficient information’ about drainage.
Although planning officers focused on flooding, much of the substantial opposition to the plans came over concerns that the properties would exacerbate existing parking issues in the area.
Bucks Councillor Andrea Baughan noted that the homes were ‘well designed’ but stressed that some residents were worried that the positioning of the homes could make traffic accidents more likely.
She said: “I see that residents are very concerned about the location of the properties on the corner of Gayhurst Road and the Hicks Farm Way Service Road.
“There is a lot of on street parking already along this area of Gayhurst Road which means that visibility and accident risk is a concern.”
Her concerns were echoed by fellow Councillor Nabeela Rana, who also said the application was ‘good’ on the whole but presented issues in relation to parking.
She wrote: “I have some concerns about on street parking and how this will impact the already congested area, poor visibility due to cars parking on pavements, risk of increased accidents.”
Other Wycombe residents, such as Ahtasham Mansha, also had their say on the parking issues they perceived with the plans.
He said: “Rather than allowing the car park for council tenants, by building these properties, you are adding to the problem out of greed.”
Another neighbour, Mr Asfhan Jamil, added: “Considering I use this road on a regular basis, I feel the parking is a nuisance along this road.
“Further developing these properties with six allocated [spaces] will not reduce the parking concern. No visitor bays have been allocated and many properties have more than two vehicles – taking into account work vans etc.”
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