HMO proposal for former office is turned down
A PLANNING application to change a former office building into a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Bridgend has been denied, due to what was described as an over-concentration in the area.
Developers at D2 PropCo Ltd proposed to convert the property on Park Street, Bridgend, into a six-bedroom housing unit with communal shared facilities, as well as a shared outdoor courtyard.
However, these plans were denied by Bridgend County Borough Council after a planning meeting which saw a number of representatives, including residents and councillors, speaking against them.
One resident said that while neighbours understood the need for this type of housing, it would have a “significant adverse effect” if approved, with two other HMOs already in close proximity on the same street.
Other concerns with the development came over parking and noise issues, along with what was said to be reports of drug-dealing in a lane near the street.
Representatives speaking on behalf of D2 PropCo Ltd said their properties were kept to high standards, with CCTV footage checked each morning and daily visits to occupants by the house managers.
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Steven Bletsoe said: “Park Street is changing and it’s not changing in a way that the residents who currently live there are comfortable with.”
He added: “This is a conservation area, it is a residential area, but it’s becoming a HMO area.”
Officers said the application was acceptable in planning terms, though some councillors noted there was a policy in place which limited the number of HMOs within 50m to 10% of the total number of properties.
As there were 29 properties, a third HMO would take it slightly above that limit.
Officers noted that despite the excess of this 10%, it was important to find the right balance with planning and recommended the plans for approval.
Members of Bridgend’s planning authority later denied the application after a recorded vote, with six voting for and eight against on the basis there was an over-intensification of HMOs exceeding the 10% policy, along with what was described as a perception of fear for residents who lived nearby.