Residents of a new block of flats in Kingston will be expected to get on their bikes by developers who have not provided a single car parking space in their plans.
Developers JMB Property Investments want to add two more storeys to HSS Hire Shop at 117 London Road to build four one-bedroom flats and four two-bedroom flats.
But it has already been criticised for not putting any extra car parking spaces for the 12 new residents, instead relying on each of them to ride a bicycle.
No one from JMB Property Investments or its agents TP Bennett was available to comment but their application said it was “car-free given the sites highly sustainable location, close to Kingston town centre”.
Scot Fulfords, manager of Fulfords garage in London Road, said: “Our only concern is they are building more flats without any parking. It is our biggest nightmare.
“We have had an office with 35 staff and three car parking spaces. I gather this is not going to have any car parking.
“Kingston Council rewards developers for building without parking and it clogs up the local streets.
“We don’t mind the development but we feel quite strongly all developers should provide adequate parking.
"I know Kingston Council wants to discourage cars but lots of people might have a recreational vehicle. Where are they going to park?”
Alan Greenwood, at Alan Greenwood funeral directors next door, said: “The developers have submitted a 44 home page document and didn’t even consult us.
“It will be 50 foot high with a huge wall. It is horrendous. We believe they have bought it for about £1m.
“Where our yard is and where families come in to arrange funerals, we are going to have a solid brick wall. We won’t get any daylight in our building. I have already had to employ a planning consultant which is going to cost me thousands of pounds.”
And John King, acting deputy headteacher at Tiffin School, said he had concerns about the scale of the development but said the building already overlooked the school playground.
He said: “It is alongside a listed building on our side which is the Elmfield House Georgian town house and grade II listed building and also close to the Lovekyn Chapel, close to Kingston Grammar School.”
Mr Greenwood is collecting names for a petition against the development.
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