OUTLINE plans for new retail units and 84 flats with basement parking in Cippenham village have been blocked by councillors.

A majority of members of the planning committee refused plans to redevelop a shopping parade on 17-31 Elmshott Lane into a four-storey building comprising retail on the ground floor with 84 flats on top.

The flats would’ve consisted of nine three-beds, 19 two-beds, and 56 one-bedroom apartments.

Over 100 basement level car parking spaces was also proposed – but only 26 of those spaces were for the future occupiers.

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A previous scheme for 119 flats was rejected two years ago over traffic and fears it would be overbearing.

It later went to appeal – and the refusal was not overturned by the planning inspector but they acknowledged its housing and economic benefits.

While acknowledging the plans are indicative, planning officers said they still could not support the scheme and recommended refusal due its overdevelopment, harm to the character of the area, impact to neighbouring 33 Elmshott Lane, “poor” living conditions of the proposed flats, and lack of affordable housing.

The highways and transport officers said they could not support it as the required residential parking is off by 76 spaces and the applicant did not submit a transport report with the plans.

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Ashiq Abqeali, the applicant, criticised the council for not engaging with them in order to address some of the latest issues raised had they been asked to and accused the council’s planning officers of being “inconsistent”.

He said the scheme would make best use of the brownfield site and they have amended the plans by removing the rear windows and reducing the building’s height “significantly” to address concerns.

Mr Abqeali urged members to defer this application in order to address “minor” issues with planning officers through dialogue.

However, planning officers said the plans were submitted without any pre-application talks or engagement with the council.

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The lead member for planning, councillor Pavitar K. Mann (Labour: Britwell and Northborough), said she was “baffled” by the suggestion to defer this for approval as it wouldn’t resolve the major issue of overdevelopment.

She said: “I’m a bit frustrated at hearing this conversation about dialogue. The applicant did not choose to enter a pre-application process as advised by the inspector in the previous scheme.

“Dialogue is not a one-way conversation and there are numerous aspects of information not provided by the applicant in order to enable us to make an assessment of the scheme.”

She added: “This is not a town centre location. The idea that the applicant is even proposing basement parking – which is, as far as I’m aware, we have no remote precedent in this area – to me lends additional weight to overdevelopment of the site.”

The meeting took place on December 9 and only one councillor abstained from the vote.