PLANS to demolish two office blocks in Ascot into “cramped” apartments have been withdrawn following backlash from residents and a parish council.

The applicant, Elliot Charles Holdings Ltd, wanted to tear down Old Boundary House and New Boundary House in London Road, Sunningdale, to erect 28 flats.

The “roughly U-shaped” building would have been up to three-storeys in height and delivered a mix of 11 one-beds, five two-beds, and 12 three-bedroom apartments, as well as 34 car parking bays and bicycle spaces.

A “proportion” of the flats could be affordable housing.

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But the plans were withdrawn by the applicant following backlash from residents, Sunningdale Parish Council, as well as the Royal Borough’s planning officers.

The parish council feared the designs represented a “significant overdevelopment” of the site and criticised the applicants for “misleading” and “open to interpretation” statement on affordable housing.

The council states: “The parish council would certainly encourage the inclusion of a substantial number of affordable housing units within the scheme and would strongly oppose the approval of a ‘loophole’ that enabled affordable housing units to be substituted for Private Sale units after the approval of any planning application.”

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Royal Borough planning officers also took issue the loss of the two office buildings, which they cite as “attractive” to local businesses, would have a “significant adverse impact” on the local economy.

They also took issue with the “cramped poorly designed layout” as well as ‘failing’ to provide sufficient private and communal garden space.

The planning officers recommended to councillors on the Windsor and Ascot development management panel to refuse this scheme.

A decision was meant to be made on Wednesday, October 6, but the applicant decided to withdraw the plans.