Already a problem with cars

READING my Mercury last week and the report on the planning application to turn the Lynton House Hotel in Madeira Road into a block of 41 flats consisting of 17 one bedroom, 23 two bedroom and one three bedroom flats was very interesting and surely a great improvement on the damaged old hotel.

However I was amazed that even though the area has problems with car parking the report said that there would not be any on-site car parking provided on this large new development.

The Mercury report stated that, members of the North Somerset Council planning committee were recommended in a report by officers to give the plan a go-ahead.

The report said: "The principle of redeveloping the site for housing and density, mix and layout of the units are considered acceptable"

"The scale and design of new and altered buildings are also supported, and the absence of on-site car parking is not considered a reasonable ground to refuse this application"

I thought that with a new build it had to include space for one car per dwelling, in fact I think it used to be one and a half car space per dwelling, but maybe that did change.

As it stands this could mean that if we had a car for each flat plus extra for the two bedroom ones, we could be looking at up to 60 extra cars being parked on the highway in this area.

I just wonder what the other car owners are going to feel when they are driving around trying to find a place to park.

As for the prospective new owners, will they find that not having a car space more than a little off putting?

Weston already has a problem with cars being parked on the roads, but I just wonder is this going to be a new council policy to encourage developers of new flats and houses in Weston.

Only time will tell if this new idea will work out.

LAURENCE F ORME

Shrubbery Avenue, Weston