Stevenage council flats approved for Ellis Avenue

Stevenage Borough Council’s planning committee approved the two-storey development on the corner of Ellis Avenue and Walkern Road at a meeting on Monday, August 12.

It will include seven two-bedroom and four one-bedroom flats, replacing the two four-bedroom semi-detached houses currently on the site.

Photo of existing homes on proposed development site in Ellis Avenue, Stevenage (Image: Twenty 20 Architecture/Stevenage Borough Council)

The council’s assistant director of housing development said the existing properties are in “a state of disrepair”, and the site would be “more useful” to Stevenage residents as flats rather than houses.

While the planning application specified at least three of the flats will be available for council rent, the assistant director confirmed the council’s “intention” is for all 11 to be rented to council tenants.

Plan for new block of flats in Ellis Avenue, Stevenage (Image: Twenty 20 Architecture/Stevenage Borough Council) He said the “minimum” level set in the application would allow the council to apply for government grants under the Affordable Homes Programme, and free it up to “seek borrowing on that land” in future if necessary.

Cllr Julie Ashley-Wren (LD, Chells) described the plans as “amazing”.

“That site has looked a mess for quite a long time, and it’s nice to see something positive, providing housing for people,” she said.

But Cllr Kamal Choudhury (Lab, Bandley Hill & Poplars) raised concerns about the number of parking spaces – 13 – being below the expected minimum standard of 15.

The council’s planning officer said “not everybody has a car” and it was only “marginally” below the expected standard.

“We are keen to promote non-car modes of transport for people,” she added.

Officers deemed the scheme’s contribution to tackling the “significant under-delivery” of affordable homes in Stevenage outweighed potential issues with car parking and outdoor green space not meeting the expected standard.

A consultation on the plans was held last year, and the assistant director said the “overwhelming majority” of the 500 responses received had been positive.

However, objections to a proposed bin store – close to a neighbouring property – were received, and the plans have since been amended to move this inside the block of flats.

The planning officer said the change would “reduce the likelihood of smells, pests and flies” affecting neighbours.

There may also be an issue with the proposed Section 106 agreement – a planning officer said Stevenage Borough Council “doesn’t agree” with Hertfordshire Highways’ request for a contribution of £75,000 towards sustainable transport.

She said the highways authority “at this time has failed to produce any evidence to justify that figure”.

In Stevenage, more than 2,000 residents are currently on the waiting list for a council home, with around 80 per cent requiring a one or two-bedroom home.

Since 2017, 387 council homes have been built in the town, with a further 288 expected by the end of next year.

All eleven councillors present at yesterday’s meeting voted in favour of granting planning permission for the Ellis Avenue development.

One of the homes to be demolished is currently empty, while the tenants of the other property are being re-housed.