PLANS to extend an apartment building in Stourbridge have been rejected after Dudley planners ruled they would be ‘cramped and contrived’.

The proposal to add nine new flats to Hanbury Court in College Road attracted a wide range of concerns from neighbouring residents.

The new two-bedroom apartments would have been created by adding three extensions of three storeys onto the existing building to take the total number of units up to 18.

In delivering their verdict, Dudley Council planners said: “The proposed development would form a high density, cramped and contrived form of residential development. 

“Furthermore, the development by reason of its design, excessive height and elevated position would form an incongruous form of the development that would fail to assimilate well within the existing residential context.”

Planners also concluded the development would be detrimental to neighbouring properties, not enough information had been submitted to show the impact on wildlife and trees near the site and there would be problems with parking related to the site.

A total of 21 letters of objection and a 180-name petition were submitted as part of the consultation process raising concerns including parking, the scale of development. the impact on existing residents and concerns about wildlife - mainly badgers.

In a statement supporting the application, Addison Rees Planning Consultancy Ltd said they had responded to guidance from council planners and reduced the height of the extensions to three storeys from four due to the elevation of the site.

Addison Rees added: “The submitted scheme seeks to provide a high-quality development which is sensitive to local character. 

“The proposed layout is of an appropriate density and the communal area will be enhanced with landscaping which would make a positive contribution to the character of the locality.

“The proposed layout also makes provision for a level of off-street parking which is appropriate on this highly sustainable site, in close proximity to a local centre and also to extensive public transport links.”