PLANS to add another storey onto a ‘gateway’ city centre apartment block, have been rejected by council planners.

The 40-bed apartment building in Silver Street was backed by Worcester City Council’s planning committee last September, but the height of the building was discussed at length, and the decision was only made after the original plan for a six-storey building was reduced to five.

Developer Khalid Hussain has since submitted another application to attempt to make it a six-storey building – about 2.7 metres higher – largely in reaction to the neighbouring 98-bed apartment block which was approved in 2016 and is due to be built around the corner, opposite St Martin’s Gate car park.

Councillor Jabba Riaz, who represents Cathedral ward where the building is located, asked the planning committee to discuss whether one more storey would actually be harmful and would make the building appear out-of-character for the area.

Cllr Jo Hodges recalled the concerns over the building’s height when it was first approved.

She said allowing another storey to be added would take away from what was going to be a “real asset” for the city.

Cllr Chris Mitchell, chairman of the committee, said he did not like to see developers coming back with altered plans once they had been approved and believed six storeys was too high.

He said he did not want the committee’s refusal of a six storey building to take away from what he felt was a fantastic addition to the city.

A council report discussed by the planning committee at its meeting yesterday stated: ‘Whilst the overall development was welcomed by council planners, the extra height would be harmful, make the building too dominant and reflect badly on neighbouring buildings’.

In the approved application, permission was granted to use the ground floor as a shop, restaurant, bar, pub or for offices and for the remaining four floors to house 40 rooms, as well as communal kitchens, bathrooms and toilets.