‘Woefully inadequate’ apartment block car park in Wolverhampton to triple in size
A council has approved plans to triple the number of parking spaces at an apartment block.
City of Wolverhampton Council has backed a move to increase the number of spaces at Telecom House in Church Street, Wolverhampton.
The application said it would address the “woefully inadequate” car park for residents in the 144 apartments at the recently converted Telecom House.
The application by MSR Properties said that seven trees would be cut down to make way for the extra parking spaces but would be replaced alongside other landscaping.
The former offices sit in the city’s St John’s conservation area – one of the most historic parts of the city centre.
A report outlining the council’s approval said: “This is an important site for the city and its relatively recent conversion has created a number of good quality dwellings, enhancing the city centre.
“It is unlikely the proposals would create undue harmful impacts on visual amenity or the setting, character or appearance of heritage assets.
“Highway safety is unlikely to be significantly affected.”
A statement included with the application from MSR Properties said: “The application site comprises the former Telecom House which housed the former GPO before its privatisation in the later 1980s.
“Until recently it has accommodated British Telecom until its conversion to apartments in the last few years.
“There are now 144 apartments on site and woefully inadequate parking for them. The proposal seeks to increase the number of parking spaces for residents who currently pay for privatised public parking elsewhere in the city.
“The reason for this paucity is that the original staff car park for the building was sold off separately as a revenue stream when the main building was sold by British Telecom.
“There are a handful of spaces within the new curtilage of the building yet there is significant space for more.
“This application is predicated on the sensible desire for as many residents as possible to be accommodated within the curtilage of the converted building.”
