Issue - meetings

Approved, subject to various requirements to be set out in the Minutes.

The Interim Development Manager submitted a report to the Committee which sought approval for a change of use from dwellinghouse to HMO for 6 occupants. Conditions were included to ensure that the basement would not be used as habitable accommodation, to secure cycle and waste storage provision and to ensure that the number of occupants was a maximum of 6. Minor external alterations were proposed. It was advised that the Highways Department were not accepting parking beat surveys during the pandemic. Whilst no parking was proposed, the property sat within a sustainable location close to public transport links and shopping facilities. It was confirmed that Private Sector Housing had raised no objections to the application. Should the application be approved, the concentration of HMOs in a 50m radius would be 9.3%. The Police had been consulted regarding neighbour concerns and confirmed that the area was not a crime and disorder hotspot.

Jo Parish, a local resident, spoke against the application and commented that there were a number of unlicensed HMOs in the area that would bring the concentration over 10%. She further stated that highway safety was compromised due to the number of vehicles on the street and voiced further concerns around waste and other antisocial behaviour issues.

Irene Heller, a local resident, spoke against the application and commented that existing residents should have a certain level of amenity; this lessened with each addition of an HMO. Ms Heller also stated that the HMO register was erroneous and asked that the Committee had all of the available information before making a decision.

Councillor Brian Sargeant spoke against the application and commented that HMOs were a detriment to St James; the mess they created was left to the community to deal with.

Pat Dooley, the agent on behalf of the applicant, spoke in favour of the application and commented that claims of antisocial behaviour were not substantiated and noted the comments from the Crime Prevention Officer within the report. Mr Dooley’s client regularly inspected his properties and there had been no complaints about any of his properties to date.

Members discussed the report.

RESOLVED:

That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions and reasons as set out in the report.