PLANNING chiefs have approved another proposal to provide more housing on a town centre site occupied by a former cinema that is now flats.

An application to remove the building's sloping roof and replace it with an extra storey containing six one-bedroom apartments has been given the go-ahead.

Last year New Forest District Council also approved plans to build six flats beside the old Savoy picture palace in Junction Road, Totton.

Totton and Eling Town Council opposed the latest application.

In a letter to the district council it said the six new apartments, together with the 21 existing flats and the six neighbouring homes approved in 2020, would take the number of properties on the site to 33.

The letter added: "Junction Road is mainly double yellow lines, limiting on-street parking.

"The constant assumption that occupants will not have a car will lead to problems in the local area due to the lack of parking. The potential over intensification of the site and lack of parking are the main areas of concern."

But the scheme was approved at a meeting of the district council's planning committee.

A report to members said: "The proposed development constitutes a sustainable form of development, providing six small dwellings within a town centre location with access to a good level of local services and facilities.

"The development is considered acceptable in terms of access, scale and appearance.

"Whilst the proposal does not provide any additional off-street parking, the application is considered acceptable by reason of its sustainable location and the benefits it would bring through the provision of additional dwellings."

Planning agent Sadaf Pourzand, representing the applicant, cited the "huge" demand for affordable accommodation in the centre of Totton.

Totton councillor Arthur Davis said too much housing was being built in the town, adding: "We are overloaded. We cannot take it all."

But the application was approved by nine votes to three.

The cinema opened in 1935 and showed the latest releases until it closed in 1961. After being used to stage other forms of entertainment it became a factory in 1977 and was later turned into a block of flats called Savoy House.

In 2015 tenants were moved out of the council-owned building following the discovery of structural faults, plus problems relating to fire safety and asbestos.

The following year the building was sold to a private company, made safe and renamed The Old Cinema.

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