Scores of objections over Wolverhampton retirement flats

Developer McCarthy and Stone wants to build the flats at the site of The Clock House, in Stockwell Road, Tettenhall.

But the plans have been met with resistance from residents in the village, many of whom have written to Wolverhampton City Council to voice their opposition.

The objections centre around the scale of the development, with traffic and parking problems also cited as key concerns.

Many residents also fear the proposal will have a detrimental effect on property prices in an area they say has been over-developed. A petition set up by protest group Save Tettenhall's Open Spaces has gathered 170 signatures since the controversial project was first mooted last summer.

In February tensions heightened when it emerged that developers had been touting the apartments before they had submitted a planning application for the site.

Among those objecting is Jennifer Dejoue of Stockwell Road. She wrote: "The property will cause significant a increase in traffic to the neighbourhood. The size of the proposed building is much bigger than the existing property and will have a detrimental affect on the surroundings due to loss of green space and lack of privacy."

Another neighbour, Brian Isgar, wrote: "To knock down the beautiful existing property and replace it with a block of flats in an area of conservation would be an act of vandalism."

Alex Murray, of The Cedars, who is leader of the group, said: "There have now been over 150 letters of objections to this development, and 170 people have signed a petition," he said.

Bosses at McCarthy and Stone, which is also building a retirement development in nearby College Road, maintain the firm has engaged with residents over the proposals. No representative from the firm was present at a recent meeting hosted by Save Tettenhall's Open Spaces.