ENVIRONMENT Minister Freddie Cohen has supported plans for housing at Westmount Quarry but delayed making a final decision so that issues such as the height of the buildings can be resolved.

That is despite senior assistant planner John Nicholson saying at last week’s ministerial meeting that the plans were overdeveloped, cramped and excessive in height.

Developers Dandara have applied to redevelop the former parish depot and disused quarry at Westmount Road to build 206 flats including 16 sheltered flats, a 60-bedroom nursing home, a 60-place pre-school nursery, a commercial unit and parking for 281 cars. In April the parish backed a proposal for 140 apartments, 70 sheltered housing properties and 300 parking spaces.

As part of the application Dandara would improve access to the Jewish cemetery, provide landscaped residential amenity spaces, and regrade, stabilise and replant the quarry faces. The plans, by Sir Richard McCormack and local firm Axis Mason, consist of four blocks of nine to 13 storeys. At the meeting on Friday Mr Nicholson recommended deferral of the plan because he said that the site was ‘overdeveloped’ and that issues still needed to be resolved.

• Picture: An artist’s impression of the proposed development