Modern homes upset residents (From Penarth Times)

Modern homes upset residents

PENARTH residents are up in arms over plans to build a block of three modern apartments in the midst of their Victorian terraced homes.

The developer Lofts Co, based in Barry, has been granted planning permission for the three, one bedroomed apartments, each three storeys in height, on a site in Coronation Terrace.

It presently houses six lock-up garages, some of which are leased by local residents, which means they will lose parking facilities.

Local homeowners say they feel powerless in preventing these buildings being erected, since the planning inspectorate in Cardiff recently agreed to the proposals, after the developer successfully appealed against the council's decision to refuse planning permission.

The development had been rejected by Penarth Town Council's and the Vale of Glamorgan Council on two occasions.

The first refusal for planning permission was upheld in January 2002, and the second came three months later, in April.

Resident, Mark Cahalane, who moved into Albert Road, with his family two years ago, said all the local residents were opposed to the development.

Mr Cahalane explained that the inspectorate took a technical view of the development, and agreed that the proposals met with current planning standards.

The properties have been defined as flats, when during the appeal, they were "more accurately described as three, three-storey one bedroomed town houses," he said.

Mr Cahalane explained that this description allows the developers to provide less amenity space, (25 square metres per town house), and so side-step the town house amenity provision, which states that 90 square metres would be required.

The properties will have a domed roof, so that the overall height is comparable with that of a two storey terraced house, to match the existing properties in the area.

Three sides of the buildings will not feature any windows, in order to protect the privacy of existing home owners.

He added that the Vale Council could take the case to the High Court, but that this option would be extremely costly.

The garages are set to be destroyed at the beginning of September, in order to make way for the development.