PLANS to turn a York car park into a self-storage centre have been slammed by parish councillors.

Wigginton Road Car Park, near the junction with Crichton Avenue, could be part closed and self-storage containers put on the land.

The car park is next to allotments and homes, and is near York Hospital.

Inner Space Stations has applied for planning permission to put 31 containers on the car park, which they say will bring just 12 visitors a day to the site. And seven of the 28 parking spaces will be kept.

But Guildhall Planning Panel have criticised the scheme, saying: "We feel this is an inappropriate development for a residential area.

"The hours of opening are not suitable for a residential area.

"The storage units are unattractive in white, and the security gates adds an industrial look.

"The proposed floodlighting will be intrusive to residents and wildlife."

Councillor Denise Craghill has asked for the application to be decided at a planning meeting.

She said: "It is in the public interest for there to be full consideration of the impacts of the change of use on adjacent residents on Wigginton Road in terms of access to their properties and potential impacts on their amenity such as light, noise and mode and hours of operation, also potential impacts on the adjacent allotment site with respect to biodiversity and wildlife and impact on the overall amenity of the area."

A statement from the applicant says the units are not shipping containers but 2.4 metre-high units.

It adds: “There is a strong demand for self-storage space in the UK and the sector has experienced rapid growth in recent years.

“Self-storage of this nature is frequently used by households who lack sufficient storage space, university students during summer breaks and households in periods of transition (moving house, marriage, divorce etc).

“The storage facility at Wigginton Road will be operated by Inner Space Stations, a locally based company with three existing sites in the city.

“The application proposes the use of an existing park for the siting of storage units on an accessible brownfield site. The proposed use will not result in harm to the amenity of nearby residents.

“It is considered that the proposal will not detract from the character or appearance of the surrounding area and is acceptable in respect of matters of acknowledged important such as design, residential amenity, highway safety and flood risk.”

View the application at planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications reference 20/02076/FUL.