A SCHEME which will provide 29 affordable apartments in the centre of Evesham has been unanimously approved by planning chiefs.
The application made by Rooftop, a leading social housing provider in the Vale, will see 29 two and one bedroom apartments being built on the disused Brick Kiln Street Garage, which will be demolished.
Planning chiefs approved the plans at Wychavon’s Planning Committee last Thursday (October 15) paving the way for the 100 per cent affordable housing scheme, with grant funding from the Home and Communities Agency.
However, Rooftop will not be paying £83,500 in contributions which planning officers had previously asked for to put towards public open space, sport, leisure and cycling facilities.
Instead the social housing provider will only be paying for recycling contributions, claiming they can’t stump up the cash as the scheme would not be viable as they won’t be making any market returns from the apartment complex.
Coun Jo Sandalls, who represents Evesham North on Wychavon District Council, said: “This is accommodation needed in the centre of town.
“I’m quite happy that they are still going to pay contributions towards the refuse collection because this street is notorious for fly tipping and the site has been tidied up by Rooftop recently.
“My only comment is that I’m still very concerned as Highways, the planning officer and Rooftop are with the junction with Avon Street and Brick Kiln Street, which I’m sure will be monitored going forward.”
But, Coun Miller warned Rooftop they won’t be able to get away with not paying contributions in the future.
“I’m very disappointed in the contributions that are not coming forward on this one, if it was a single developer coming forward and it was total low-cost housing then maybe I could take that on board.
“But we’ve got Rooftop housing here and I would like to send a message to Rooftop to say don’t expect this every time, I don’t think we should,” he added.
