252 Havant Road, Portsmouth, PO6 1PA

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposal is in a suitable location having regard to development plan policies for the Havant Road local centre
• the effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of the occupiers of neighbouring properties
• the effect of the proposed development on parking stress and highway safety, with particular regard to on-street parking provision
• the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
• the effect of the development on the Chichester and Langston Harbours Special Protection Area (SPA), the Portsmouth Harbour SPA and the Solent and Southampton Water SPA, the Solent and Isle of Wight Lagoons Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and the Solent Maritime SAC

What decided it

The retention of a Class E commercial unit at ground floor level, combined with the urban location's accessibility to amenities and public transport, and the absence of robust evidence of parking stress or material harm to living conditions or character, outweighed the shortfall in off-street parking provision.

The benefits of residential intensification in a sustainable urban location with good accessibility, and the retention of commercial use supporting the local centre, outweighed the shortfall in off-street parking provision and the loss of symmetry with the adjoining semi-detached property.