Sheltered housing project in Portsmouth approved despite concerns about parking

City councillors unanimously agreed to proposals for four semi-detached bungalows opposite St Francis Church in Northern Parade, Hilsea.

The existing vicarage will be demolished to make way for the one-bedroom homes as well as a new car park that will be used by the church.

Speaking at the planning committee on Wednesday (Feb 19) Councillor Matt Atkins shared some of his worries. He said: 'I am concerned about putting through applications without sufficient parking in light of the highways engineer's objections.

'If it were for private development I would be minded but given the public benefit and the fact it is for elderly people in supported living.

'I hope if there are residents with cars the church can think about their parking needs.'

Cllr Judith Smyth agreed. '60 is not particularly old,' she said.

'Is there some provision for on-street parking down Northern Parade for maybe one of those people to have a car?'

In a report the council's highways engineer said: 'No parking survey has been submitted in support of the application to establish that sufficient space isavailable on street within a reasonable walking distance of the site to accommodate the vehicle parking shortfall.

'In that light given the conflict with the parking expectation established in the supplementary planning document I must recommend that this application be refused.'

Officers confirmed there was some on-street parking along Northern Parade and in the surrounding streets.

Committee members ultimately agreed that the benefits to residents outweighed the parking issues. Cllr Luke Stubbs said: 'This can only be a good thing. We have an ageing population and single storey homes will be good.'

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson added: 'It seems a sensible scheme.’

The development will be built on the access road to St Francis Court, which is a development of seven dwellings to the rear also occupied by residents over the age of 60.

Registered charity Coronation Homes, which also provided the St Francis Court homes, will develop the four new houses.