PLANS for more than 20 new retirement flats are set to be considered next week despite huge concerns from residents around parking.

Developer McCarthy and Stone’s application for 22 apartments in Beaconsfield Road, Farnham Common, is set to be heard by the South Bucks District Council planning committee this evening.

Letters of objection were received from 24 different addresses, and Farnham Royal Parish Council has also raised concern over the issue of parking and if there is suitable affordable housing on the site.

The site of the development is on the former Phil Whittaker garage site which is currently being used temporarily by Eagle Eye Car Wash.

Residents of neighbouring Forge Drive were consulted about the issue in December, with concerns raised that their road would turn into a “parking bay” if the development went ahead.

Elizabeth Hawkins, of Forge Drive, said: “The number of car parking spaces is fine, but if there are visitors and friends then they will use Forge Drive as a parking bay.”

Mrs Hawkins also said part of the proposed new building would only be 6ft away from her back garden fence.

She said: “They [McCarthy and Stone] said it is not going to interfere with the trees at the bottom of my garden, but when they dig the foundations it is surely going to cut into the roots and make the trees unstable.

“It just seems like far too many flats and far too much in this space.”

An objection was also received from the City of London corporation, which manages Burnham Beeches, because of the “adverse impact” on the nature reserve, and 10 letters of support were also received.

The development is for eight one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom apartments for the elderly, with 16 car parking spaces at the front of the property.

The building would have three distinct sections – a three-storey front section, a single-storey middle section and a further three-storey section at the rear.

Council planning officers have recommended that full planning permission is granted for the site, but also advises that members of the planning committee carry out a site visit before the application is heard at the meeting.

The meeting is being held at South Bucks District Council offices in Oxford Road, Denham at 4.15pm.