REFUSED: Change of the Use of a Property to Become a 10 Bedroom HMO, Sidney Road

22/01534/FUL Staines-upon-Thames Planning Application, Spelthorne Borough Council

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This application is to convert an existing town-house into a 10-bed HMO, the main reason given for refusal is The proposed change of use to a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), by reason of the number of residents, insufficient communal facilities, poor outlook, inadequate car parking, and poor cycle parking arrangement would result in an unacceptable level of noise, activity and disturbance causing harm to the amenity of the occupiers of adjoining residential dwellings and a poor quality of amenity for future occupiers of the dwelling.

This approach is not uncommon, HMO's are a very attractive proposition for property owners, as they can command high rents for a high number of bedrooms. Converting houses into HMO's is not straightforward, as noise issues and fire escape strategy has to be fully considered in the conversion, but underlying this is the worry that ten individuals living in a single house will bring over-flowing bins, anti-social behaviour and car-parking issues.

PAPA Says - This is a well-designed scheme with comfortable bedroom sizes and shared living spaces, the LPA is being harsh with regards to the design, effectively just to reinforce the reason for refusal, the reality is that although this houses is located very close to the town centre and is therefore very commutable, the road upon which it sits is still very much suburban in feel, and this decision has been made in order to protect the adjacent homeowners.