139 residents against multiple occupancies
Petition fights conversions plan
MORE than 130 city residents have banded together to try to stop the conversion of two buildings into houses in multiple occupancy – in an area they say is already ‘densely populated’ with shared homes.
A petition signed by 139 people has been submitted to Portsmouth City Council, urging its planning team to reject proposals for two houses in multiple occupancy (HMOs) in Twyford Avenue, in Stamshaw.
Under the plans the former shops and first floor flats at numbers 251 and 253 would be transformed into shared homes for up to six people each.
Twyford Avenue resident, Daisy Cobb, who set up the petition believed there were too many HMOs already in the area.
She said: ‘This area in particular is densely populated with HMOs and flats, there is insufficient parking for the residents that already live in the area and most days I do not want to leave my home and go out in my car. It causes me a great amount of stress and anxiety, worrying if I will be able to find anywhere to park my car near my home on my return, especially with the shorter days coming.
‘A further six to 10 cars from the occupiers of these rooms will have further consequences for residents in this area. HMOs in turn bring many problems with the occupiers of these rooms, as we have found from the one located along the road from us. Many are single males that stay up late, drinking outside, causing noise and at times disturbances.
‘Why can the council not focus on granting planning for family homes? These properties would make ideal family homes for people.’
According to the council’s online HMO database there are three shared homes in Twyford Avenue at 109, 116 and 276. And there are two around the corner in Gruneisen Road at 2A and 20.
North End resident Trudy New, who lives in nearby Powerscourt Road, believed there was also a problem with HMOs in her area. The 55-year-old said a recently approved HMO conversion, including six bedrooms and a basement gym, at number 31 would create more issues.
She said: ‘We already have so many HMOs down our road. It feels like whenever a family home goes up for sale they’re immediately bought to be converted. With number 31 there wasn’t much warning for the neighbours. The decision was made and suddenly there were people there doing work.’