A PLAN to convert a community pub into flats and a shop has been rejected by the council for not having enough parking.

Worcester City Council planning officers rejected the plan to convert the Garibaldi Inn in Bromyard Road in St John's, which has closed and reopened numerous times in the last few years, into seven new flats and a ground floor shop for several reasons including traffic concerns and a lack of detail in the application.

A planning report, which sets out the council’s rejection, said the displaced parking, cramped rooms, potential loss of privacy and lack of detail about the proposed ground floor shop were all reasons for refusal.

The report said the displaced car parking spaces would cause conflict between drivers, cyclists and pedestrians as well as disrupt the flow of traffic driving onto and off Bromyard Road.

The council also said it could not approve the plan as details in the application about a proposed shop below the flats had been sparse and insufficient enough to allow it to be approved. The lack of detail also meant that potential noise and disturbance caused by a new shop to neighbours could not be properly addressed.

With the lack of detail, the council said it had not been proved whether no interest had been shown in the pub from potential buyers and no evidence had been given that the building continuing as a pub was no longer viable.

The council also said allowing the number of flats in the building would make space unacceptable for those living there. The report goes on to say that some of the people living in the former pub would have to put up with the smell and noise from nearby bins. Living and amenity space was also said to be far too small and neighbouring homes would also suffer from a loss of privacy.

The plan by Mohammed Abyadul Hoque of Alpha 2 Investments based in Tenbury Wells would have seen seven car parking spaces provided but it was the prospect of extra cars on neighbouring roads which has been a bone of contention for residents, according to local councillor Richard Udall.

Cllr Udall, who represents St John's, said the plans had received a mixed reaction when it was first submitted.

He had raised concerns about the number of flats and the displaced parking but was happy that something was finally happening to the building.