CONCERNS have been raised over plans for a new apartment block in Caia Park.

At their monthly meeting, members of Caia Park Community Council raised their objections at the recent planning applications.

Members were told of plans for the demolition of an existing community centre to make way for a new apartment block on Eaton Drive.

The apartment block would consist of ten two-bedroom apartments and six one-bedroom apartments.

However, Cllr Colin Powell said he was concerned that this was too many.

He said: “Sixteen properties in that space with no garden facilities. They are cramming as many properties on land boxed into the short space.

“Sixteen in total is just too many. I don’t have a problem with a development on that land, but I think it should be less actual properties and more space within them. It’s overpopulation. It should be reduced significantly. There are too many units and not a lot of green space.

“Regardless of social housing or private, 16 is too many.”

Chair Malcolm King added that the apartments are ‘obviously very small’ and who they will be for is currently unknown, however ‘it can go horribly wrong’.

He reminded members of the flats at Deva Way and when they became ‘inhabitable’ due to anti-social behaviour and criminal activity and were ‘not a good place to live’.

He said: “They’ve had now restrictions on the sort of tenants that can go in and there’s been no problems at all.

“It’s just good evidence of what can happen if you don’t manage it. We’ve all seen evidence in our wards, people move in and absolutely destroy the peace for other residents.”

Cllr Brian Halley added: “I would look more favourably on them if they were social housing because they are needed. If we have got 16 properties which will help get people off the housing list, I’m all in favour.

“If they are private then they could be bigger and less of them, otherwise it’s a way of making money.”

Members voted in favour of passing on their observations to the site.

In a separate application, councillors objected to the change of a three bedroomed house to a five-bed single occupancy HMO.

Cllr Adrienne Jeorrett said: “Residents are really angry already, another HMO in area - no. This is absolutely packed.”

The chair added that it was ‘completely insane’ and proposed they object on the grounds that they ‘shouldn’t be adding more parking difficulties to the area’.