How does this redress the balance of students?

I READ in the Loughborough Echo a few weeks ago about the low number (less than five per cent) of planning applications that go to committee.

Myself and several of our neighbours have recently objected to a planning application which went through regardless with no opportunity to appeal.

Charnwood Borough Council planning department published their decision on their web portal and on the same day and on the same page were the words ‘Final Decision’ despite several of us agreeing to speak and attend a planning committee meeting.

The application in question was for a small town house type property to build an extension and garage conversion to house six students using the pre 2012 HMO legislation which the owner holds.

This estate has 200 properties, 70 per cent which are student occupied, several properties having had vacancies for rent for months. By increasing the rooms to six (from the original three) then there is the potential for six cars, as students more than likely will come from different parts of the country (unless they are overseas students, we can but hope). There is only room on the driveway for two cars.

As a consequence potentially four more cars will require parking permits and be on the street in an already limited permit area which is for all residents.

It is already difficult to access parking in these designated areas as they tend to be well used most of the time.

The proposal also effectively land locks access to the rear of the property leaving nowhere for the residents to put their bins other than on the street.

That’s just two issues, noise and disturbance is another concern in this quieter end of the estate.

The planning department noted our concerns in their report but merely referred any issues that arise to other legislation, for example in their report referring to increased noise they state ‘if neighbours habitually experience this, other legislation and measures exist which may better control this’ or ‘Such occurrence can be dealt with by other forms of regulation’.

In relation to rubbish bins they state ‘Where an existing property keeps its bins is also a matter outside the control of the local planning authority and it cannot therefore insist that these are removed from a neighbours view’ (there is a building regulation requirement relating to bins and waste), obviously of no concern to the planning department.

Given the historical impact of social problems relating to student activity those issues have a high potential of occurring, it seems the planning officers are happy to let the neighbours police these matters and pass it over to their colleagues in other departments. Prevention doesn’t seem to come into it! and why invite comments, put planning notices on lamp posts etc?

In addition and contrary to our planner’s views I feel this new development layout reduces the resale attraction for a family or couple to purchase the property as further internal alterations would immediately have to be made to permit a satisfactory living space.

I feel there is a bigger picture here; the huge number of extensions that go ahead for private landlords to adapt properties to increase bedroom capacity is a very important matter which the council (and their planning department) really need to address.

They seem happy to stifle the possibility for first time buyers and young families to get on the property ladder in favour of landlords running a very lucrative business thank you very much!

The first time buyer is key to the whole housing market and suppressing this in Loughborough in the way that it is can have a massive impact on the local economy, growth etc.

We moved to this area in July and also understood that Charnwood Borough Council were trying to redress the balance of students to permanent residents and were encouraging us to purchase properties in this area.

These planning consents in my view totally contradict that ethos.