PLANS to construct two apartments atop one of New Brighton's most prominent seafront buildings have triggered a protest from the local community.

A petition signed by residents from 36 households in the area oppose the Pier House proposal.

They say the scheme will create parking problems, noise and disturbance as well as harming the appearance of the building.

Wallasey Civic Society lodged an objection along with almost a dozen opposition letters and emails from householders in the surrounding area.

Pier House was the first glimpse of New Brighton for tens of thousands of day-trippers streaming off Mersey Ferry boats in the resort’s 1950s heyday.

In recent years, the building on Tower Promenade was home to the Chelsea Reach nightclub. It is now divided into 30 apartments with parking spaces for 16 flats in front of the building.

No further parking provision is planned.

Labour councillors Pat Hackett and Patricia Glasman have added their weight to the opposition, claiming the resort’s parking resources are already stretched.

Councillor Glasman said: "New Brighton has a problem already with access to parking during busy periods and can become gridlocked causing concern should the lifeboat be required to launch.

"The building work already planned for the construction of flats next to the Floral Pavilion will cause inconvenience to residents of Pier House, who will be faced with the construction work of another floor and disruption to their lives going on all around them in their own homes."

Councillor Hackett said: "There is currently insufficient parking with the number of apartments at present.

"This additional accommodation would add greatly to parking pressure in the area, particularly as New Brighton becomes busier as a seaside resort after regeneration efforts.

"We will also have the new apartments to be built by Neptune Developments next door to these properties, adding extra demand for parking spaces."

In a report to Thursday’s meeting of Wirral planning committee, planners insist parking demand could be met by existing on-street parking in the vicinity.

They claim the designs replicate the appearance of the existing building and will have a "minimal visual impact" on the area.

They have recommended the scheme should be approved, although the final decision will be up to councillors.