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Tall storey

Susannah Wright
20/ 3/2008

A DEVELOPER has slammed the council for refusing plans for an apartment block because it’s too tall even though they approved an earlier scheme which was taller.

Mohammad Jamil owns the site of the former Cine City, on Wilmslow Road, Withington, and had submitted plans for a six-storey building that would have included a large ground-floor shop, a first-floor car-park, and four further floors for flats.

Planning officials had recommended the proposals for approval, but councillors voted to reject them.

Minutes from the meeting say that the plans have been refused on the grounds of ‘scale and height’ and of a detrimental impact on the surrounding area.

A final decision on the application will be made in April.

But Mr Jamil and his company, Britannia Property Group, had already been granted planning permission in 2005, for a slightly different building.

That would comprise of a basement car-park, a large ground-floor shop, four floors for flats, and a sixth-floor to house the mechanics of the building. That would stand half a metre higher than the one that has been refused, and would also comprise a more extravagant design with a leaning tower.

Mr Jamil said he thought the decision was ridiculous.

He said: "This is ridiculous - I can’t understand what the councillors are thinking.

"If the one that has been refused is actually lower than the one we have permission for, then it’s absolute nonsense for them to say it is on the grounds of height.

"And secondly, if the planning officers themselves recommended it be approved, then why should the councillors turn it down."

He added: "We’ve worked with the planning department for years on this and they have done an excellent job in trying to get the right building for the area.

"So to me, this decision smacks of political reasons rather than planning ones. And in a way, they are forcing me to build a higher building."

Mr Jamil’s company bought the former cinema site in 2003 and was granted permission to construct a new building with a leaning tower that year. Following discussions with Withington Civic Society, Britannia Property Group modified its design to include space for community use.

The revised plans were deemed unworkable by the council, which led to the creation of the latest plans. Gavin White, from Withington Civic Society, said: "I think the most recent plans would have been better than the original ones."

Old Moat councillor, Graham Shaw, who is on the planning committee and voted for approval of the latest plans, said: "I am surprised that other councillors voted against it, as I don’t think it would have been detrimental to the area."