“SERIOUS concerns” have been raised over plans to build a second block of flats on an Aberystwyth parcel of land where an existing block is being refurbished.

Developers want to build a new seven storey block of flats next to Brynderw on Stanley Road consisting of a mix of 26 one, two and three bedroom apartments.

The Brynderw building is currently being renovated and refurbished from a previous planning permission.

The plans for the second block, submitted last week, attracted strong criticism during a pre planning application consultation - although those initial plans wanted to build three blocks instead of the one that developers ended up formally applying for.

Aberystwyth Town Council said the plan “represents overdevelopment of the site”, and that the new block of flats would overlook near neighbours.

The council called for the block of flats to be reduced by one floor.

“The current parking provision is only sufficient for the existing block of Brynderw,” the council added.

“The Town Council supports the development and refurbishment of the existing block but strongly opposes the development of the further blocks on the grounds of overdevelopment and the loss of green space.

“There would be a massive impact on traffic in the entire area of the Buarth.”

Resident Jennifer Hall said in an objection to the council the “current planning application for a seven storey block of flats would be a total over development of the site” and would be “detrimental to residents in the Buarth where there is already an ongoing problem with on street parking.”

Another resident, Andrew Davies, told planners that he had “serious concerns regarding the size of this development and its negative impact on the surrounding area.”

“The building of a second hugely imposing block of flats as part of Brynderw is bound to negatively affect the visual character of the area,” he said.

“It may bring a focal point entrance to the development but this will be at the detriment of the community as a whole and also be an overdevelopment of the area,” he said.

In a report put before planners, developers said that “whilst a number of responses have been received from members of the public, providing comment on the nature of the residential proposal as a whole, the Pre-

Application Consultation process was based on a wider more expansive scheme.”

“The aim is provide a high quality of accommodation to cater for an eclectic mixture of residential needs for a growing town, all of which we wish to achieve sympathetically as a response to where the existing building is situated,” developers said.

“The site is currently not used in an optimal manner, and there is opportunity to make better and more efficient use of the site.

“Whilst we feel there is some potential for additional on-site car parking, we will look to provide bicycle parking with the site.”