THE refurbishment of a community centre has been granted planning permission by city councillors.
Worcester City Council’s planning committee backed plans to renovate a dilapidated first-floor flat in Comer Gardens Institute at a meeting on Thursday (October 24).
This will enable Comer Gardens Community Centre, which currently occupies the ground floor of the building, to expand.
Cllr Jill Desayrah said: “I just wanted to say how pleased I am to see a community centre developing, rather than closing down.”
Committee chair Karen Lewing said: “I was really struck by the photographs of the existing flat – that is not the kind of place we want people to live in, is it?
“It’s a shame to lose social housing but that was probably the wrong place for it and it was in poor condition.”
She also said any application coming from the city council should include at least the potential for the installation of solar panels.
Councillors did have concerns about a lack of parking at the community centre.
Cllr Alex Kinnersley said there is a popular Beryl Bike bay in the area and suggested the community centre could encourage users to travel by bike if they don’t already.
Committee members were also worried about how disabled centre users, and wheelchair users in particular, would be able to access the first floor of the building.
Planning officer Paul Round said building regulations were not a matter for the planning committee to consider.
Cllr Elena Round said accessibility is too often thought of “as an add-on”.
“So many people in our community are unable to access community facilities,” she said.
“I know it’s going to be dealt with by building regs but it’s often as an afterthought and it’s not acceptable for people to be denied access to things.
“We should be aiming for higher standards as a council.”