Issue - meetings

1.     Z/2012/0798/F - 64 The Boulevard (change of use from a 4 bedroom house to a four bedroom House in Multiple Occupancy). 

(Councillor Mullan left the table whilst the item was under discussion and took no part in the decision-making process).

The Committee was informed that the site in question lay outside any defined HMO policy area or development node. The application had been assessed against Planning Policy HMO 5, which had established a ten percent maximum threshold for HMOs within any street outside a defined HMO area. It was reported that there existed 111 dwellings/apartments within ‘The Boulevard’, and that a maximum of 11 conversions to HMOs could be approved. It was pointed out that five approvals for HMOs had been granted within the street and that a further approval would be within the policy.

The Planning Officer reminded the Committee that there was no specific HMO policy requirement in relation to parking provision.  It was reported that the change of use from a four-bedroom house to a four-bedroom HMO would, if approved, result in no detrimental impact upon the character of the area, nor on the amenity of neighbouring residents.

            The Committee acceded to a request from Councillor Mullan to address it in relation to the application. Accordingly, she came to the table to state her case and indicated that, if approved, the proposal would exacerbate existing parking problems and create additional road safety issues for local residents. She then retired from the table.

            The Planning Officer responded to a range of Members questions which related to the number of existing HMOs within the area and their specific location in relation to each other.

The Committee granted approval to the application.