Plans for new flats and a shop in Fratton look set to be approved by the city's planning committee

The application, if approved by councillors on Wednesday, would create a commercial business and eight flats on 35-37 Fratton Road. Council documents state the site is currently occupied by a large single-storey building, which was last in use as a social club, and previous planning applications on this site include one for a 50-room student halls of residence. They add the proposal includes a two-storey extension with a mansard roof fronting Fratton Road to form the flats, with shops and storage on the ground floor.

“This would include changes to the fenestration and works to the rear to provide refuse, cycle and storage facilities, all accessed from Vivash Road,” the documents say. “The ground floor would be subdivided into three commercial units (fronting Fratton Road) and three commercial storage units (within the centre of the site and access via the undercroft on Vivash Road).”

The upper floors will provide five one-bedroom flats, two two-bedroom flats and a three-bedroom flat. The application has attracted five comments from the public, all of which object to the scheme.

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Lisa Holland, of Lucknow Street, said: “As a resident, I would like to raise concerns that the surveys completed during the nights do not reflect the parking difficulties in Lucknow Street and Vivash Rd. As a resident who frequently struggles to find a space to park despite paying for a parking permit, I suggest that unless the flats have their own allocated parking it will just worsen an already frustrating situation.

“One of the parking spaces in Lucknow Street has already been replaced with a bike store. The local business in Lucknow Street attracts large numbers of cars parking in excess of the allowed two hours on a daily basis. Cars are often parked illegally on the pavements.”

Council officers have recommended granting planning permission subject to 23 conditions. The final decision will be made at the planning committee meeting on Wednesday, December 6.