Housing Solutions puts in flats application for Harrow Lane

Objections to a proposed set of new flats have been sent to the council.

Housing Solutions wants to replace a 33-bed sheltered housing block in Harrow Lane, Maidenhead, with 23 two-bed flats.

The existing development, called Gardner House, would be demolished and replaced with two blocks – one two-storey and the other three storeys – if given planning permission.

Housing Solution’s application states: “The development will replace the existing 33 units owned by Housing Solutions that no longer meet modern expectations.

“The style and general design of the dwellings has been planned so as to be as sensitive and considerate to the immediate context as much as possible.”

The plan will have 46 parking spaces – two per unit – and be accessed from Connaught Close.

“It is considered that the result of this design process will be an attractive and sustainable development which will deliver high quality affordable homes,” the application states.

Despite the large amount of parking in the plans, nearby residents have written to the council with fears the development could lead to parking problems.

“Currently Queensway is used as a general parking road for commuters using the Furze Platt station and is often very narrow to negotiate during the day,” a Whurley Way resident wrote.

“With the impact of the proposed… dwellings surely parking will become even more chaotic given that the new builds are less than 75 yards from this corner.”

A Connaught Close resident said the ‘short-term effect of this development will be very negative on the whole area’ and the size of the flats ‘will have a huge impact in terms of privacy and potential loss of daylight’.

A Housing Solutions spokeswoman said: “The new scheme design has taken into consideration both parking and privacy for the local area.

“The new buildings will be no higher and no closer to the surrounding properties than the current buildings on the land, meaning privacy should remain unaffected. There is adequate parking for the scheme which is situated to the rear of the site and will be accessed via Connaught Close. This means there will be no additional traffic or parking on Harrow Lane as a result of this development.”