Plans to build a new apartment block with a roof covered in plants and greenery have been put forward in High Wycombe.

Applicant Sakbe Rahman Hamid plans to demolish the semi-detached homes at 81-83 Hughenden Road and replace them with eight new flats.

These would include six one-bedroom apartments spread across the ground and first floors, with a seventh on the second floor, accompanied by a two-bedroom flat.

The proposals, put forward by Mr Hamid’s firm 55 Hamid Limited, also include eight car parking spaces and a cycle store at the rear of the site.

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But the most eye-catching element of the blueprints is the proposed ‘green roof’ that would cover most of the top of the new three-storey building.

Also known as a ‘sedum roof’, this is a type of roof covered in a layer of living plants, which acts as a ‘carbon sink’ and can encourage wildlife.

The planning application claims the green roof and a small garden area at the rear of the property would help achieve a ‘biodiversity net gain’ of 519.94 per cent.

The huge figure exceeds the 10 per cent net gain required by law for new developments and comes from an assessment carried out by Arbtech Consulting on behalf of the applicant.

Planning documents claim that the proposed green roof and ‘substantial amount of vegetated amenity space’ are among the reasons why the development should be approved.

Mr Hamid’s plans conclude: “The proposed development would not result in any harmful impacts upon the surrounding amenity owing to its careful design and relationship with the neighbouring properties.”

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