‘GHETTO’ FEARS ABOUT PLANS FOR OLD BAKERY

Concern over bid to turn it into 6 bed home

DOZENS of families are fighting plans to turn a former bakery into a six-bedroom home with enough room for up to eight residents.

Chaucer Homes Investments has applied to convert the property – on Wolseley Road, in Oakhill, below – into a house in multiple occupation (HMO).

But neighbours say other HMOS in the area have led to parking issues, anti-social behaviour, drug-taking, drinking and even a shooting.

Now members of Stoke-ontrent City Council’s planning committee are expected to approve the application at a meeting on Wednesday.

Rachel Lewis, aged 44, said: “We have several HMOS in the area. We have excessive drug use from some of the HMOS, one specifically on London Road. There is a nice community in Oakhill and, on the whole, I feel safe. But more recently there have been a few more unsavoury characters.”

Cara Dunn, of Wolseley Road, said: “I object to this proposal on the grounds of insufficient parking in the area. With HMOS already surrounding us, numerous businesses and already highly-populated surrounding streets, we struggle to park.

“Cars currently block the access to the side alleyways, and are forced to park on the doubleyellow lines. This development could potentially see an increase of 11 vehicles, which is simply a disaster for us.”

Mark Cotton, of Honeywall, Stoke, said: “Developments such as this affect the quality of life of residents and the wider local community as they promote poor living standards which are cramped. The ‘residents’ who use these provisions offer no value or investment to the local community and are often transient and care little about the area. These developments should be banned.”

Geoffrey Taylor, of Alastair Road, Oakhill, said: “There are already too many HMO residences in Oakhill and most of them seem to be occupied by undesirable people associated with alcohol, drug-taking, and anti-social behaviour. I’m sure that the police can enlighten the council on the number of incidents that have been reported in this area.

“I moved to this area over 21 years ago because it was a decent place to live but the city council seems determined to turn Oakhill into some kind of ghetto. As a result,

I am begging that this application be refused.”

Tracy Coleman, of Neville Street, Oakhill, added: “There are too many HMOS in Oakhill already. There have already been incidents of anti-social behaviour – serious ones – including shooting incidents, violence, vandalism, open drugs abuse and drugs paraphernalia littered and a public sex display associated with this type of residence here in Oakhill. What assurances are residents going to have that there will not be more of this type of behaviour? And if there is, what measures will be in place to tackle it?

“There are long term problems already in the area associated with at least one of the HMOS in Oakhill with little, it seems, notice being taken. I have concerns around parking, which is already difficult, if there are going to be more extra cars parked in the streets, possibly 11 extra cars and maybe more if occupants have more than one vehicle.”