An art studio on a busy road in the green belt will be turned into holiday lets despite concerns for public safety.

Some residents objected to the plans, saying the building conversion on the “notoriously dangerous” High Street of Wick would lead to more accidents involving cars and pedestrians.

But a South Gloucestershire Council planning committee unanimously approved the plans after officials assured them vehicle access could be made safe.

Barry and Jane Gould applied to turn a one-storey building off the A420 into three holiday lets in May.

But the application was referred to a planning committee by Boyd Valley councillor Ben Stokes after 10 residents lodged 11 objections to the married couple’s plans.

Villagers’ main objection related to the safety implications for pedestrians and road users of extra traffic coming and going from the site, which lies opposite a pub and a pre-school.

But they were also worried about the suitability of the holiday lets for the green belt, and the risks posed by “unknown” users of the lets to the safety of local children and the peacefulness of the neighbourhood.

Each one-bedroom let would have a small patio to the rear and at least one parking space to the west of the building.

Cllr Stokes told the planning committee the plans had caused “great anxiety” for members of Wick Parish Council and the community – among them 87-year-old Tony Jenkins who suffered a fatal heart attack at a council meeting last month.

Mr Jenkins, who lived on Wick High Street, had been set to speak against the application before his tragic death at a planning meeting on October 31.

Cllr Stokes said: “There is great anxiety, not only through neighbours but the parish council, around the visibility of this very busy A420 main arterial route through the heart of Wick.

“The road is notoriously dangerous, and the exit to this property, number 53, and entrance, is on a natural curve in the road.”

But officers said they were satisfied the building conversion would not cause any harm as long as the dwellings were used as holiday lets only and the driveway and driveway visibility were improved as recommended.

The plans were approved on November 14 with those provisos in place.

Mr and Mrs Gould must move a fence and make other changes to ensure there is good visibility onto the A420. They must also lay a hard surface on the first five metres of the driveway. 

There are two existing holiday lets on the site which do not have planning permission.

A council officer noted the “cumulative impact” of all five holiday lets was taken into account when assessing the planning application, and the “potentially unlawful” use of two of them would be dealt with separately.