Student homes get go-ahead in Upton

Dec 2 2008 by David Norbury, Chester Chronicle

STUDENT accommodation has permission in a busy Chester suburb.

The application, by the University of Chester, has been allowed on appeal at Arderne House, Woodlea Avenue, Upton.

Plans for a change of use of the outmoded, L shaped property from sheltered housing were rejected by the city council 12 months ago.

The university appealed to communities and local government secretary Hazel Blears who appointed inspector Richard Clegg to decide the application.

The main issues, suggests the inspector, are the effects of the change to student accommodation on highway safety and traffic and on the living conditions of nearby residents.

He points out the university normally requires occupiers of its student accommodation to sign an agreement which stipulates, amongst other things, that cars are not allowed to be brought to any university building.

Although Arderne House has 10 parking spaces, the city council and the County Engineer said they were concerned that highway safety would be affected due to parking on the roads around the property.

The appeal heard, however, that students would be able to use the car park at Arderne House.

Mr Clegg suggests the 10 spaces would be "an appropriate level of parking" and says he does not believe that on street parking due to the student accommodation would be likely to occur to any significant degree.

"In any event, most of the houses in the immediate vicinity of the site have off street parking spaces," he says.

The inspector concluded the change to student accommodation would not reduce highway safety or disrupt traffic in the vicinity.

Both the city council and some local residents expressed concern that the use of the property for student accommodation would cause disturbance in the area.

Neighbours said they feared nuisance.

The inspector felt, however, that Arderne House would not be an unduly large block and pointed out that initially there would only be rooms for the warden and 25 students although it was possible this could increase to a maximum of 29.

He believed there would not be a significant level of noise or problems for local residents and the change of use would not have a significant effect on the character of the mainly residential area.

The inspector added the university's agreement with occupants of its properties prohibits parties and barbecues and requires care to be taken over noise, particularly after 11pm.

"I am satisfied that student accommodation of the scale proposed can be assimilated into this residential neighbourhood," he said.

No objections were raised by Upton by Chester and District Parish Council subject to conditions but others raised concern about the loss of Arderne House from the stock of sheltered accommodation.

The appeal was told the outmoded Chester and District Housing Trust property required "a great deal of updating" to meet the required standards and this would not be financially viable.

Other sheltered housing was available elsewhere in Upton and Hoole.

Allowing the appeal and overturning the city council's refusal, the inspector said that to safeguard the living conditions of neighbours it was important to limit the occupancy of Arderne House to the warden and the 29 students who were ultimately envisaged.

He did not believe a condition about noise was necessary.