A PLAN to redevelop a church into offices and living space has been refused on parking grounds.

The Vale's planning committee voted against the plans for Windsor Road United Reformed Church with just one abstention on Thursday (January 5) due to the lack of on site parking provision and the effect it would have on congestion and road safety.

Councillor John Drysdale proposed it be rejected due to a "lack of parking in an area of stress which would have an unacceptable impact on the character and amenity of the area."

The plan was deferred by committee in September 2016 for developers to consider other options but none of the five options they explored were deemed viable.

The WRAP Around Residents’ Action Group have objected to the plans

The action group has campaigned, for 270 days, against the proposal for office and living space units to be built in the vacant building.

Vale council planning officers recommended the application be approved.

The agent, acting on behalf of the developer – DS Properties (Barry) – submitted five parking solution options in the report which the committee considered.

Wrap Around residents’ action group spokesman Laurence Blight said: “We have made a strong evidence based case for rejecting the application to convert the Windsor Road United Reformed Church into offices capable of taking 144 people and 22 dwellings with 37 double bedrooms, offering no on-site parking.

“We appreciated the councillors’ action on September 8 to defer their decision, in order to give the developer time to reconsider on-site parking. Sadly, the developer has subsequently shown no intention to change his plans or make any compromise.

“Since that planning meeting, Wrap Around has rolled out the third phase of our poster campaign and met with the managing director of the Vale council, the head of planning and regeneration and the head of highways and appreciate the time they gave. However, when asked ‘where the extra 42 residential vehicles will park, when highways and South Wales Police have confirmed there is no spare parking capacity at peak times?’, they were unable to answer.

“The county treasure status is of concern, in as much as the council does not want the church to become derelict. The award winning developers of the Romilly Quarter have said they would take on the church, if made available, and develop it in keeping with sustaining the community, mindful of our concerns over parking capacity.”