Objections grow on plans to demolish two West Bridgford Victorian buildings

A developer has submitted plans to Rushcliffe Borough Council to demolish the properties on Loughborough Road and build a new apartment block on the site.

88 Residents’ have written objection comments on the plans announced last week. 

Rockwood Developments has proposed the plans which are detailed as: Proposed Demolition of Grafton House and Welbeck House and construction of 32 apartments, including car parking and alterations to existing vehicular access. Grafton And Welbeck House 67-69 Loughborough Road West Bridgford Nottinghamshire NG2 7LA.

The buildings were built around 1895 according to maps shown on the plans.

The plans also include opening up Patrick Road, which is closed to traffic at the Loughborough Road side to make this the access point for residents of the new building should it go ahead.

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The proposed split of housing on the site is: Nine one-bed apartments and 23 two-bed apartments.

According to a transport consultancy hired by the applicant, ‘…access to the site will be exclusively off Patrick Road via the development of a new access junction located circa 5m east of the existing one, which is proposed to be stopped up. The access will serve a 5.2m wide private access road.

Residents from mainly Patrick Road and also from Henry Road and Balmoral Avenue have raised concerns across a number of areas, these are summarised below.

Residents of Patrick Road in West Bridgford have raised numerous objections to the proposed development at Grafton House and Welbeck House, citing serious concerns about the impact on local parking, traffic, and the character of the neighborhood. Key points of contention include:

Parking and Traffic Congestion:

Multiple objections highlighted the already severe parking issues on Patrick Road, which is heavily utilised by non-residents,including commuters and visitors during local sports events. The proposed development, which includes 32 new dwellings, would exacerbate these problems, adding more vehicles to an already congested area with limited parking availability.

Residents also noted that recent parking restrictions in nearby areas are likely to shift even more traffic onto Patrick Road.

Highway Safety:

The proposal to make Patrick Road the sole access point for the new development has raised significant safety concerns. Increased traffic, coupled with the narrowness of the street and current parking challenges, poses risks for pedestrians, particularly children and vulnerable adults who frequently use the road. The potential difficulty for emergency vehicles and service deliveries to navigate the congested road was also mentioned.

Impact on Local Character and Overdevelopment:

Residents emphasised that the proposed multi-storey building is out of character with the Victorian architecture of Patrick Road and the surrounding area. The demolition of existing Victorian villas is seen as a loss to the neighbourhood’s historical identity.

The scale of the proposed development, described as overdevelopment, is viewed as inappropriate for the site and surrounding residential area.

Loss of Privacy and Overlooking:

There are concerns that the new development would lead to a significant loss of privacy for existing residents, with the new buildings potentially overlooking nearby homes. This was seen as a violation of national planning guidelines, which require developments to respect the privacy and amenity of existing and future residents.

Environmental and Safety Concerns:

The development’s potential to increase noise, air pollution, and light pollution was another major concern. Additionally, the increased traffic during and after construction was seen as a threat to the safety of residents, particularly children walking to nearby schools.

See the full plans here