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Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
Tom Dare

Green light for Birmingham apartment complex

Planning chiefs in Birmingham have handed the green light to a new development of flats.

The new block of 203 apartments will be built in Newtown despite concerns being raised over potential noise levels from the surrounding area.

Birmingham City Council's planning committee awarded consent to the project off Hanley Street which will consist of apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms to rent.

There will also be two ground-floor commercial units in a building reaching eight storeys.

The council's regulatory services had raised concerns about noise levels due to the development's location as it is in a predominantly industrial area but the project was approved nonetheless by just a single vote.

Committee member Cllr Gareth Moore (Con Erdington) was among those voicing concerns.

"I do share the concerns that regulatory services have raised on this, particularly in terms of the noise impact," he told the meeting.

"An application for this site was refused previously on noise grounds. The National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear that adjoining occupiers should not be impeded by new developments, in terms of their operation.

"And I do share the concerns that, if this application is approved, it would do that. Therefore I do not believe that we should be approving this.

"I appreciate a lot of work has gone in to try and make it acceptable in terms of noise but the only failsafe way of ensuring there won't be any noise issues is to not allow the development to take place. So I'm afraid I can't support this application."

Responding to noise concerns, a planning officer said the proposals to place the bedrooms toward the back of the development meant residents would not be adversely affected.

"I think it's worth noting that, firstly, there's no objections from neighbouring occupiers and the factory that was the issue in the previous applications is closed," he said.

"And the previous operation that was there was a 24-hour operation so that gave particular problems.

"The most noise-sensitive rooms, such as bedrooms, have been moved to the back of the scheme and also the noise mitigation measures shown for the windows and ventilation have satisfied officers the planning balance is in favour of this scheme.

"We understand regulatory services' concerns but we don't feel that tips the balance on the basis of the changes to the proposal and the immediate environment going forward."

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