New plans have been submitted for the redevelopment of a disused garage after residents were angered by an “imposing” proposal.
In April Cinch Self Storage submitted plans to demolish the former Islington Vauxhall Garage, on the A4 Bath Road in Chippenham, and build a three-storey storage facility on the site.
This application proved controversial with residents living in nearby streets like Hereford Close and Kelso Court, and Chippenham Town Council also objected to the scheme.
While a decision has not yet been made by Wiltshire Council, revised plans have now been lodged following concerns raised by planning officers dealing with the application.
Cinch Self Storage says it has received feedback claiming its planned self-storage facility is “out of scale, imposing, and bland.”
The firm hopes that the new plans, submitted to the council in November, will address these complaints.
READ MORE: Councillors to debate controversial plans for more than 450 homes in town
In the updated design and access statement, a spokesperson said: “One of the main concerns of the residents was the building would not be in keeping with the existing character.
“The roof height has been lowered and the single pitch transformed into three smaller pitches which is more in keeping with the local vernacular.
“In addition, the area closest to the residents has been further dropped by another full storey.”
The addendum to the plans added that the overall height of the building has dropped by 1,428mm while the proposal is now, in parts, lower than the existing car showroom.
There have also been alterations to the appearance of the planned building and the materials that would be used to construct it.
In May, the plans sparked fear among residents who urged Wiltshire Council to reject them.
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Multiple members of the public submitted letters to be read out at a town council planning meeting.
At the time, Samantha Taylor said: “As an immediate neighbour of the proposed storage site I urge you to reject the plan.
“We have to live here, and the plans are having a severe effect on mental health which will only be made worse once the building is built and we have the grey metal wall to look at.
“I will be looking at this from my living room, bedroom and garden, the proposal is too big.”
Concerns were also raised about the impact of noise and traffic on neighbours.
Wiltshire Council has a decision deadline of November 29 for the application, but this is likely to change following the submission of new plans.
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