NEIGHBOURS have criticised plans for a new house and two garages in New Street, Henley.

An application has been made to South Oxfordshire District Council to demolish three single garages, a workshop and a combined garage and workshop and replace them with a two-storey house with two or three bedrooms. Residents have written letters of objection, expressing concern about the effect on access to their carports.

Christopher and Denise Sims, who live in New Street, said their carport was already difficult to access. They said: “If the footprint of the existing building is increased, the turning circle and the space between the buildings will not be sufficient to manoeuvre.” Alison Rosby, from the Bell Bookshop, said: “The angle of access into our driveway is quite acute and any building encroaching on what is currently vacant space will make it extremely difficult to manoeuvre.”

Chris Boundy, a surveyor representing the Halifax bank in Bell Street, said: “It seems that parts of the development are planned to directly adjoin the land that is currently used as an access. They will, we assume, need to dig to provide foundations for the building, which may then inhibit access to our client’s car park. We feel the developer should be obliged to provide a similar number of alternative parking spaces nearby at their cost for any period that access to our client’s car park is denied.”

The district council was due to make a final decision by yesterday (Thursday).

Published 24/12/12