Issue - meetings

1.     Z/2013/0247/F - 22 College Drive (retrospective change of use of dwelling from a three-bedroom house to a three-bedroom House in Multiple Occupancy)

The Planning Officer reported that the site lay outside any defined HMO policy area or development node. The proposal had been assessed against planning policy HMO 5, which, it was pointed out, had established a ten percent maximum threshold for HMOs within any street outside a defined HMO area.  It was pointed out that, within ‘College Drive’, there existed 42 dwellings/apartments, and that a four conversions as proposed to HMOs could be approved in accordance with the policy. 

It was noted that the application would not increase the number of bedrooms within the dwelling and that no other changes had been proposed to the building. One objection had been received regarding a pre-existing covenant for family housing in the development and that objector had cited also concerns regarding road safety. The Planning Officer indicated that the covenant was a ‘civil matter’ in law, and there existed no policy requirement for parking provision. 

The Committee was advised that the proposed change of use from a three- bedroom house to a three-bedroom HMO was within policy and would result in no detrimental impact upon the character of the area, nor on the amenity of neighbouring residents. Accordingly, the Committee was recommended to approve the application.

The Committee granted approval to the application.