Former bank could be turned into housing

A FORMER Barclays bank branch in North End could be converted into housing if new plans are approved.

Ashgroves Estates Ltd has submitted a prior approval application for the London Road building seeking Portsmouth City Council’s backing for it to become 10 one-bed flats.

But the scheme, which was submitted earlier this month, has already drawn an objection.

Barclays closed the branch last year due to falling footfall and increasing use of online services. It also said more than 60 per cent of its customers were also using other branches.

The building has since been sold to the Londonbased developer with the intention of being used for residential purposes.

It said ‘some’ external alterations would be needed to accommodate its conversion into flats and that these would be submitted in a full planning application following the council’s decision on the prior approval request.

One letter of objection, from Laburnum Grove resident Daniel Cummings, has been submitted, criticising the decision not to include any parking spaces.

‘This area has been affected with car parking issues and has led me to actually pay to park where I live,’ he said. ‘This has been unacceptable.

‘To now allow another 10 households to park within this already stringent parking enforced area would be ridiculous.’

The developer said the residential use of the building would be less demanding than when it was a bank.

Council planning officers will decide the application.