A FLATS plan condemned by English Heritage as “dull and inhospitable” has been approved by Southampton councillors because it will provide affordable homes.

Atlantic Housing will construct a ten-storey building of 115 flats on land behind The Mayflower theatre at West Park Road.

The theatre will get a four-storey office building, new rear access and a much-needed docking bay for lorries.

Residents of nearby Wyndham Court, a listed building, lodged a 128-name petition raising objections over an increase in noise, loss of pivacy and daylight.

Spokesman Anthony Putnam warned that residents’ quality of life was being “sacrificed”.

He said the effect would be “disastrous” with light deprivation causing heath problems and children losing sleep because of night time lorry movements.

Mayflower chief executive Dennis Hall said the docking bay would be “acoustically tuned” to minimise noise and that lorry movements would be infrequent.

Planners had called the flat design “uninspiring” and “mediocre” but, on balance, recommended the scheme to councillors on the planning panel.

They restricted lorry movements to between 8am and 10pm.

Labour ward councillor and opposition spokesman on economic development, Councillor Sarah Bogle, said the site deserved better than a “second rate” building and called for a “really outstanding quality development”.

Cabinet member for economic development Councillor Royston Smith said: “Although this is not a landmark development it’s significantly better than what’s there and it helps to house people. Councillor Bogle would rather those people go without homes. I wouldn’t.”

Hazel Warwick, group director of development and regeneration at First Wessex Housing Group, which owns Atlantic, said at least 65 per cent of the flats would be affordable housing for rent or low cost home ownership.

She said every effort had been made to provide a desirable living environment.