Another scheme to build 'social housing' on the site of a former St John Ambulance headquarters has been rejected by borough planners who say it would be over-development.

Thurrock Council's development control committee has voted against granting planning consent for two bungalows and two one-bedroomed flats on the site in College Road, Grays.

It is the second application that Turnhold Properties has had turned down.

Last November a scheme for disabled people's bungalows was refused planning permission because the committee felt it provided insufficient parking.

The company has appealed to the Department of the Environment against that decision and in the meantime submitted this latest application for what it described as sheltered housing with the disabled accommodation element removed.

The committee ruled, however, that it was social housing rather than sheltered after discovering there was no supervision by a warden and that it would be rented to people over 50 nominated by the local authority.

Parking provision was again a sticking point with the application allowing only four parking spaces when six were required by council policy.

Committee chairman Tim McMahon said the company was trying to fit four properties on a site really only big enough for three.

He said: "Social housing is a good idea for the site and would normally be welcomed, but four is simply one too many."

Published Tuesday, February 19, 2002