Agenda item

Gillingham South Ward

Change of use from a C3 dwelling house to C4 6 bedroom 6 person HMO.

Discussion:

The Senior Planner outlined the application in detail for the change of use from a C3 dwelling house to C4 6-bedroom 6-person houses of multiple occupation (HMO).

The Senior Planner confirmed that, within a 500-metre radius, there were 49 HMOs which represented 1.3% of the housing stock, which was not considered an overconcentration of HMOs in the area.

With the agreement of the Committee, Councillor Louwella Prenter addressed the Committee as Ward Councillor and raised the following concerns:

• There was a lack of supporting documentation available on the Planning Portal, which limited Members ability to fully scrutinise the planning application.
• Concerns regarding the absence of a Waste Management Plan and how waste generated by the proposed HMO would be stored and managed, with potential implications for the street scene if not properly controlled.
• Concerns regarding parking pressures in the area, particularly as no Parking Management Plan had been submitted. Whilst a condition was proposed to restrict parking permits being issued, it was suggested that up to six occupants could each own a vehicle and seek to park within the local area.
• The absence of details relating to cycle storage and discrepancies within submitted plan, where no kitchen was located. There was also a reference to a road in Orpington as a point of access within the Fire Safety Strategy, surely an error. 
• Reference to the Article 4 Direction and the importance of assessing the wider impact of HMO proposals on the local community. 
• Concerns regarding the concentration of HMOs and other residential conversions in the area, including properties converted into flats, supported living accommodation and care facilities, together with concerns that a number of HMOs may be unregistered. It was considered that the proposal would add to an existing overconcentration of HMOs and the potential for increased activity associated with the proposed use.
• Concern regarding the loss of a family homes within the area.

The Committee discussed the planning application in detail and noted there were no actual planning grounds to refuse this application. Some Members expressed concerns regarding the loss of a family dwelling, parking pressures, waste storage arrangements and the concentration of HMOs in the local area. 

Members acknowledged the demand for this type of accommodation, however, sought further information on the number of non-single family dwellings within the surrounding area, as it was considered that there may be an overconcentration of HMOs in the local area.

The Senior Planner confirmed that Condition 5 required the submission and approval of a Parking Management Plan prior to first occupation of the property as a HMO. This would set out how parking would be managed for residents and visitors and would include measures to mitigate parking pressures, including restrictions on eligibility for residents’ parking permits. 

The Senior Planner further advised that Conditions 4 and 6 required the submission and approval of a Refuse Management Strategy prior to the first occupation. This would provide details of refuse and recycling storage arrangements and the management of waste generated by the property.

Members were reminded that an Article 4 Direction had been approved to remove permitted development rights for the change of use from Class C3 (dwellinghouse) to a Class 4 (small HMO), which was why the application required planning permission and had been brought to the Committee for determination.  

The Chief Planning Officer suggested that having listened to the Ward Councillor and Members, consideration be given to deferring this application to enable officers to provide additional information on the number of single-family dwellings, HMOs, care homes and other non-residential dwellings within the immediate area. 

Decision:      

DEFERRED to allow further information to be provided which would include the number of single-family dwellings, care homes, non-residential dwellings and HMOs to be obtained before a decision is made.