Campaigners are opposing a plan to build flats in the garden of a Hull house built by Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, who designed the famous Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras railway station in London. The property, in Salisbury Street, is a grade two listed building.
RESIDENTS are campaigning against plans to build four flats in the gardens of a listed building.
Hull City Council has received several objections about the application by the developers who own grade two listed 3 and 5 Salisbury Street.
Campaigners say the plans would increase traffic problems, ruin a wildlife area and spoil the architecture of 3 Salisbury Street, which was built by revered Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott.
Scott designed the Midland Grand Hotel, next to London's St Pancras railway station.
Ivan Donado, who rents a flat in 3 Salisbury Street, is spearheading the campaign.
Mr Donado said: "Not only were these buildings made to be admired from the back, it will be infringing our privacy.
"They want to build in what's supposed to be our garden."
He said the flats, planned by the company that owns the houses at 3 and 5 Salisbury Street, would destroy Scott's original vision for the house to have a garden.
The two-bedroom flats would be built on what is currently the garden and car park for 3-5 Salisbury Street.
There was a similar plan last year to build five apartments by the owners, London-based developer Bankways Properties Ltd.
Mr Donado started a petition against that development, which gathered more than 400 signatures and the plans were withdrawn.
Now, Mr Donado hopes to raise plenty of support again against the new plans introduced by the owners.
There have already been 45 objections to the plans.
Stephanie Wilson, chairman of the Avenues and Pearson Park Residents' Association, said the group was backing the campaign on "historic and design grounds".
She said: "We live in a conservation area so all applications should preserve or enhance that.
"We think the back of these houses is as brilliant as the front. Anywhere else apart from Hull they would be appreciated."
Another residential proposal for the site put forward by different developers was rejected by the council in the early 1990s.
There are two alternative applications for the site; one for a traditional-style build while the other is a contemporary-style two- storey block.
The applications will go before the planning committee on October 9.
Property agent Doug Jennings, of Doug Jennings Town Planning, acting on behalf of Bankways Properties Ltd, said most of the existing car park would be unaltered and that there were other back-land housing developments in the Avenues conservation area.
