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 house of multiple occupation (HMO).

The Senior Planner brought Members’ attention to the supplementary agenda advice sheet which included an additional map and figures produced to identify the surrounding land-uses along an approximate 200-metre stretch of Balmoral Road. 

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 McDonald addressed the Committee as Ward Councillor and raised the following concerns:

• He confirmed he was speaking against this planning application, however, he acknowledged the important role HMOs played in meeting the housing need but considered that a balance must be maintained.  
• He reminded Members that an Article 4 Direction had been introduced to protect family housing and local amenity and expressed concern regarding the loss of another family home.
• Referring to the information requested following the previous planning application deferral, he noted that a survey of 88 properties had identified 7 HMOs (7.9%) based on planning records. However, he questioned whether this provided a complete picture, stating that, as a Ward Councillor familiar with the area, he was aware of additional properties that were not occupied as single-family dwellings.
• He also queried the methodology used, including the data sources relied upon and the geographical area surveyed, suggesting that a wider assessment may have identified further non-single-family accommodation.
• He further raised concerns regarding the impact of the proposal on local amenities, which included increased parking pressures, additional waste generation and existing street scene issues.
• In conclusion, he referred to the demand for permanent family housing in Medway, especially with over 1,000 children living in temporary accommodation in Medway and urged the Committee to give significant weight to the retention of family homes when determining the application.

The Committee discussed the planning application in detail, having regard to the points raised by the Ward Councillor and the officers’ advice. Members expressed concern regarding the loss of another family home and the concentration of HMOs in the locality. While acknowledging the need for HMOs, a number of Members considered that an appropriate balance needed to be maintained and that there were already significant numbers of HMOs within the area.

The Senior Planner confirmed that a survey had been undertaken within a 220-metre radius of the site and had identified 49 HMOs within 88 properties. He confirmed that only properties within Gillingham South Ward had been included, drawing on a range of information which included public records, licensing information, online sources and council tax records.

Some Members questioned the consistency of the survey methodology, including the area surveyed and whether a different survey boundary may have identified additional HMOs. Reference was also made to individual properties that Members believed should have been included within the assessment. Reference was made to 161 Balmoral Road, which Members understood to be a HMO and which, if included within the assessment, would have increased the concentration to 10.23%. 

The Chief Planning Officer advised that a balance needed to be struck between meeting the demand for HMOs and managing their concentration within communities. He explained that HMOs were often located in more sustainable areas which were close to universities, hospitals and local services, reflecting the need of occupants who may not have access to a private vehicle.  

The Senior Planner confirmed that the HMO density data used in the presentation, was the same as that used to support the Article 4 Direction. He advised that a range of sources had been used to identify HMOs, which included planning and licensing records, publicly available information, online data and changes in council tax.

The Chief Planning Officer informed the Committee that work was being undertaken on guidance to support the application of Policy T8, which would include consideration of approaches adopted by other local authorities in assessing HMO concentrations.

The Service Manager - Development Management advised that no letters of objection had been received in respect of the planning application.

During the discussion, Members noted that Gillingham South contained the highest concentration of HMOs in Medway and discussed the need to maintain a balanced and cohesive community. 

The Committee then voted on the officers’ recommendation to approve the planning application, which was lost. Members then discussed refusing the application on the grounds that the proposal would result in an overconcentration of HMOs in the area, harming the balance and cohesion of the local area through the loss of a family dwelling.

Decision:      

Refused on the grounds that the proposed conversion of the property from a

dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) into a six-person House in Multiple Occupation

(HMO) (Use Class C4) would result in the further loss of a family property

where there is already a significant concentration of HMOs. The proposal

would, therefore, contribute to an overconcentration such uses and

proliferation of HMOs within the locality, subsequently, contributing to an

imbalance in the local housing stock and loss of properties suitable for family

accommodation. Contrary to Policy BNE2 and H7 of the Medway Local Plan

2003, Policy T8 of the Submitted (Regulation 22) Medway Local Plan 2041

(December 2025) and paragraph 135 of the National Planning Policy

Framework (2024).