Plans for house of multiple occupation at shop rejected
Proposals to convert a ground floor business space into a house in multiple occupation (HMO) have been thrown out by council planners.
Earlierthisyear,planswere lodged with Sunderland City Council to convert 180 Hylton Road into residential accommodation offering four bedrooms.
According to planning documents, the building was previously used by a tanning salon at ground floor level and already has accommodation across the upper floors.
In supporting reports submitted to the council, developers said there was a precedent for the application due to several
ground floor conversions to residential accommodation approved along Hylton Road.
They added the HMO conversion would include new
cladding and privacy glass for residents, alongside the benefits of bringing a vacant unit back into use.
However, the city council’s planning department said the applicationclashedwithseveralpoliciesandrefuseditearlier this month.
In a report outlining issues, planners said the proposals would be “of detriment to the vitality and viability of the local centre” which has a focus on commercial uses and community facilities.
Planners argued the proposal, if approved, would “erode the available commercial floorspace and introduce a residential use to the street level”.
Inaddition,councilofficials saidthedevelopmentwouldresult in an “inadequate level of residential amenity and living conditions for potential occupants”.
This was due to there being “no outlook from the bedroom areasandthelimitedsizeofthe two bedrooms to the front of the property”. The plans were officiallyrefusedbythecouncil on Thursday.
Alongside the lack of “adequate” off-street parking facilities, planners also raised concerns about the visual impact of the conversion.
This included the plans introducing an “uncharacteristicandobtrusivefeaturewithin the street scene, to the detriment of the character and appearance of the locality”.
A council report goes on to say: “The proposed development has been found to be unacceptable in principle given that it would harm the vitality andviabilityofthelocalcentre.
For more information on the application, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal and search reference: 21/00354/FUL