A Government inspector has put the future carving up of Colony homes into flats by developers into doubt after warning that it could cause parking chaos and resentment between neighbours.

A Government inspector has put the future carving up of Colony homes into flats by developers into doubt after warning that it could cause parking chaos and resentment between neighbours.

Inspector Christopher Gethin said that the sub division of Colony homes ‘should be resisted’ after throwing out an appeal to convert 15 Woodville Road into four flats.

The planning application on the corner of Egremont Road, for two one-bedroom flats on the ground floor, a two bedroom flat on the first floor and a studio flat in the attic was refused by district planning bosses, town planners and raised concerned among by neighbours.

The ruling represents a victory for town councillors Eileen Wragg, Stave Gazzard and Pat Graham who have long warned that the further carving up of family homes in the area would lead to ‘ghettoisation’.

Mr Gethin said: “The proposed development would offer a very small usable area of rear yard to the occupiers of Flat 2 and no amenity space at all to the occupiers of the other three apartments.

“Parking is a serious problem and in these areas proposals that would result in an unacceptable increase in on-street parking will be resisted.”

He added that while there was no residents’ parking permit scheme the concerns by residents had left him with ‘deep concern.’

He said: “The additional cars or vans which would be likely to compete for on-street parking in the locality as a result of the proposed development would cause increased inconvenience to local residents.

“The character of the area would be likely to change perceptibly from one where the existing residents accept the existing difficulties of finding a parking space within the context of good neighbourliness, to one where a degree of frustration and resentment would begin to upset the balance – and begin to undermine the feeling of belonging to an integrated community which is expressed in the representations before me.”

He added that the flats would be cramped, with the bedroom of Flat 1 on the ground floor lit only by a roof light shared with the shower room of Flat 2.

He said: “The cramped and unsatisfactory accommodation would offer unacceptably poor living conditions for the prospective occupiers.”