An application to allow future residents of flats to be constructed in a Victorian school building to apply for resident parking permits has been dropped.

Developer Mike Jeans who runs Jazzy Maxwell Ltd based in Fairford was given permission to add an extension to the 1976 school building in Maxwell Street, knocking down the prefabricated building that was attached to the side of it.

When the original permission was granted in early 2019 there was a condition that the future residents of the flats would not be able to apply for a resident’s permit to park in the closely parked parallel streets of largely terraced houses.

Mr Jeans applied earlier this year to have that condition removed.

His application said: “Our application seeks to remove condition seven to allow residents to obtain parking permits for use of on-street parking within controlled parking zones designated by the council.

“We are aware of a local appeal decision whereby the officer stated it was unreasonable to not allow new resident’s permits for new developments.

But South Swindon Parish Council objected to the application saying: “The applicant has provided no evidence of the Planning Appeal Decision to overturn the parking permit condition.”

And a resident of Faringdon Road was vociferous in his opposition to the proposal. he said: “This should be rejected outright.

“The condition was put in place as the local area is already suffering from a severe lack of resident parking spaces. This is exacerbated by the multitude of transient residents without parking permits resulting in illegal, dangerous or inconsiderate parking.

It should be noted many of the recent developments in the town centre have been allowed on the proviso no resident parking permits would be issued to their occupants.”

The borough council’s highways officer also objected to the application:

“Many older residences in the town centre were built in eras when providing for car parking was not envisaged. The residents of those established residences are faced with the consequences of modern traffic and may apply for permits to park in designated areas.

“New development, including the Maxwell Street scheme, is accepted in this more congested area of the town on the principles that the residents of new housing are aware of restrictions and due to good accessibility could manage lives without a car and without adding its extra traffic onto the streets.

“The sustaining of condition seven is advised, in order to promote sustainable transport and to avoid additional pressure upon limited on-street parking spaces; and to encourage not owning and operating of cars that would add to motorised traffic in the [central] zone.”

Mr Jeans has now withdrawn his application.

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