Bike parking row Car seller in legal threat over flats plan
ACAR salesman has threatened legal action over plans for new flats in Staple Hill as bicycle racks would “block access” to his showroom. The five new flats on the High Street will come with no parking spaces, and instead residents will be given bike shop discounts and cycling leaflets.
South Gloucestershire Council has granted planning permission for the flats on the corner of the High Street and Victoria Street. The plans include adding an extra storey on top of a two-storey building, and constructing a large three storey extension on an existing car park.
But an adjacent car showroom, AB Autos, uses the car park for access, councillors on the development management committee were told on Thursday, April 11. If the plans go ahead without changes, it could be “extremely difficult” for customers to access the business.
James Brayley, owner of AB
Autos, said: “In 1994, my late father came to an agreement with the then owners of 141 High Street that we would have permanent and unrestricted right of way over the first seven metres of the boundary wall from 1 Victoria Street.
“This is registered with the Land Registry.
“The proposal to locate the cycle and bin store on my right of way clearly breaches this agreement. If the planning permission is granted, it will be extremely difficult for myself and my customers to gain access to my business.
“If the plans are not revised, I’ll have no choice but to seek an injunction through the courts. I would suggest the developer finds an alternative location for the bin and cycle store, not on my right of way.”
Council planning officers said they had checked the Land Registry, and all of the site in the plans is owned by the applicant.
The architect who designed the scheme said councillors “should probably question” why any similar development would include car parking spaces.
Duncan Cryer said: “Ten years ago, we would expect a typical housing application to include parking, and office parking in particular in the centre of Bristol was in very high demand. However, over the last 10 years we’ve seen a significant shift in this.
“Offices in the centre of town, a lot of them are now giving over car parking spaces to cycling facilities, cycle storage, changing rooms, showers, tool stations. We’re seeing a significant uplift in sustainable transport measures and a decrease in parking demand.
“The site is in easy walking distance to the High Street, Page Park, a doctor’s surgery, dentist and leisure centre. The Bristol to Bath cycle trail is about 800 metres south-west of the site, as well as two other cycle routes approximately half a mile away.
“For trains, you’ve got Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway both within a half hour cycle or easy bus ride. While it hasn’t got any car parking spaces, in such a location we should probably be questioning why any project like this would have parking.”