A taxi company which hoped to convert a studio apartment into a dispatch office has been refused Planning approval.

Bermuda Taxi Radio Cabs president Edward Darrell applied in November to convert part of his Cobb's Hill Road residence for commercial use.

Mr. Darrell hoped to operate the company's dispatch service from the studio apartment below the main residence at his home.

However, the Development Applications Board (DAB) last week refused the application on the grounds that additional traffic generated by the office would be “injurious” to the area.

In its refusal, the DAB also pointed out that only two employees would be permitted on the premises of that size while Radio Cabs employs a staff of ten.

The residential zoning of the property was incompatible with commercial use, the DAB said in its decision.