Flats plan for Somers Road shops in Portsmouth is approved

Despite concerns about its car parking not meeting Portsmouth City Council standards, members of the planning committee gave the green light to the redevelopment of the Sushi2Me and Somers Town Grocery building in Somers Road.

'This proposal looks at replacing something that is not beautiful, with something significantly better,' councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson said at Wednesday's meeting.

Submitted by Saxon UK Developments, the application proposed the construction of a five-storey building of 12 two-bedroom flats and one one-bedroom flat with 15 parking spaces and storage space for bikes.

'The proposal...provides sensitively designed new homes which will help to create a sustainable and vibrant new residential community,' a statement submitted with the application said. 'Considerable importance has been placed on achieving a high standard of design across the site.'

A report by council planning officers had also recommended planning permission be granted. It said the benefits of the new development outweighed the shortfall in parking provision.

'In some areas of the city, we would be looking to enforce our parking standards to the full amount but I think in this particular location, given the type of accommodation, the one parking space per flat is a reasonable compromise,' Councillor Matt Atkins said. 'The rest of the plan will regenerate an area that does need it.'