Neighbours' fears over flats scheme in Westbury Park
A LANDLORD is facing objections from neighbours over a planned development in Westbury Park.
Jasbir Baryah plans to extend a current property at 131 Coldharbour Road but faces a long list of objections about his application by a group of concerned residents.
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Westbury Park residents
The group are worried about the impact of the new extension which comprises six self-contained flats.
But the landlord has dismissed the basis of their objections as "xenophobic", which residents deny.
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Mr Baryah, from Fishponds Road, Bristol, owns a number of properties around Bristol and has appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court twice this year for breaching rental conditions.
On the last occasion, May 30, Mr Baryah was fined £11,000 by Magistrates for neglecting a property with filthy conditions, a lack of lighting, mould, extreme dirt and a vast deterioration of the property, which had an unsafe structure.
The group of residents on Linden Road are now concerned that Mr Baryah's latest development may not benefit the tenants or the community.
At the heart of their objections is the claim made in the application that the development will "make a positive contribution to the locality".
One neighbour, who chose not to be named, said: "There's no indication that it will bring anything positive to the area, considering the plans."
Some residents are also concerned for the future tenants.
Steve Smith, who lives next door, said: "We believe the plans show that they have no interest in how the flats are for the tenants because they are small."
The objections from locals over the new site are:
â The building is not in keeping with the local character and is considered to be a "gross overdevelopment".
â The loss of existing trees and narrowing of pavement due to new metal supports to prop up a second storey.
â Highway safety, due to the maintenance and narrower walkway, creating a hazard for children of nearby Henleaze School.
â The size of the flats, which neighbours claim are too small for comfortable living, despite being up to regulation standards.
â Blocked sunlight in neighbouring gardens due to the height of the extension.
A similar development was initially approved by the council in 2007, but failed due to inaccurate drawings submitted.
But residents claim that the current application was not subjected to a proper consultation.
Mr Baryah told the Post he denies that the new flats are an "over development", considering a similar application has already been approved.
He said: "All due consideration has been given to my neighbours and I have tried to approach them on many occasions.
"I have reduced the number of units and all I'm doing is putting a second storey on the existing building."
He added: "I think there's an element of racism in the group. I would go so far as to say that I believe that they have a problem with my ethnic background – some sort of xenophobia."
The current planning application goes in front of the a planning committee tomorrow.
Bristol City Council told the Post that it will be considering the case on its merits at the meeting.
Comments
by Alisondawn123
Monday, June 25 2012, 6:43PM
“Mr Baryah has never tried to to approach the neighbours - we have lived here years and have never met him. Why would his ethnic status affect why we don't want more flats on this corner? An ethnic minority couple run the shop that is affected - we do not want the shop to be forced to close and go out of business during the building. This corner is dangerous anyway with cars parked across the pavement forcing children and people in wheelchairs into the busy road. There are lots of student properties on this road and too many cars when they are here. It is all very well planners saying that because we have easy access to bus routes properties don't need so many car parking places, reality is people have cars, not all travel is local. The property is going from 14 bedrooms to 17 bedrooms - that is up to 6 more people, assuming living areas don't end up as bedrooms too. There are children walking to at least 3 local schools - Westbury Park, Redland Green and Henleaze.”
by nogbutt
Sunday, June 24 2012, 10:14AM
“people have been managing "housing" for tens of thousands of years in one way or another; it's abominable that we now have a housing crisis. new house building seems to be a carve up between a cartel dumping boxes in the greenbelt, and these merchants of misery cramming people into fish-farm conditions.”
by ceembee
Saturday, June 23 2012, 9:46PM
“People who pull the race card when they don't get their own way or are challenged about their actions really hack me off. It's pathetic and does a disservice to those who are genuinely affected by racism. As has been said in other posts this man is not the sort of landlord anyone would want given his track record. Heaven help his poor tenants and I do hope BCC are keeping a very close eye on all his properties to ensure he complies to relevant standards. As for the NIMBY issue having put up with similar high-density, low quality builds and re-furbs in my area I sympathise with locals. Sadly for my area people are generally not as organised or as articulate and the developer concerned was a local councillor as was a very close relative who was also chair of planning scrutiny. I am not suggested malpractice but the set up stank.”
by katachua
Saturday, June 23 2012, 6:51PM
“@rememberme2
"If the neighbours are so concerned about how small the properties are how about they contribute towards larger properties for tenants. If you have objections (as you do and are entitled to) don't try and dress them up with nonsense."
Read my link and then come back and say the same. The man is a slum landlord of the worst kind.”
by rememberme2
Saturday, June 23 2012, 5:47PM
“If the neighbours are so concerned about how small the properties are how about they contribute towards larger properties for tenants. If you have objections (as you do and are entitled to) don't try and dress them up with nonsense.”
by Bristolexpat
Saturday, June 23 2012, 1:30PM
“The landlord probably had a fair point until he started waffling on about rasict and xenophobic neighbours..
Fool”
by katachua
Saturday, June 23 2012, 11:07AM
“@bristolllil
Just in case people think you are exaggerating, here is the link
http://tinyurl.com/83swcet
I wouldn't want a slum landlord like Mr Baryah developing a house near me, either.”
by bristollil
Saturday, June 23 2012, 9:58AM
“Mr Baryah, please do not use racism as your reason for the neighbours objecting to your planned development. I would suggest they would have wanted their objections heard regardless of the ethnicity of the proposer, and quite rightly so. That is the way of the planning applications,
you apply, people are entitled to object, then the council, in all of its wisdom, makes a decision.
I would put it to you Mr Baryah that you have not really covered yourself in glory in view of your recent court case and the findings. No one, really no one wants to live next door or anywhere near a housing development like the one you were prosecuted for and who can blame them.
These residents are entitled to have their voices heard without fear of slanderous comments being made by someone who disagrees with their view.”
by Tody123
Saturday, June 23 2012, 9:27AM
“People need smaller flats to live in, this is NIMBYism at its worse”
by foxxy_tom
Saturday, June 23 2012, 9:21AM
“Could not have put it better dvp.”