‘Too many family homes are being turned into HMOS’
RESIDENTS CALL FOR CHANGES TO COUNCIL PLANNING PROCESS
NEIGHBOURS have criticised plans for a shared house on their street in Netherfield, saying there should be more homes for families instead.
A plan has been put forward to rearrange the downstairs and add a loft dormer extension to a house on Chandos Street so it can be used it as a seven-bedroom house of multiple occupancy (HMO).
A motion to introduce changes to planning rules to reduce houses of multiple occupancy was previously heard at a Gedling Borough Council meeting on April 20.
At this meeting the principle of making an Article 4 Direction for Netherfield, which would enable local councils to further scrutinise plans for HMO conversion, was referred to cabinet.
Chandos Street resident Fliss Knowlden, 44, who works in customer services, said: “It just seems crazy to me.
“The reason why we are against it is because we struggled to get this house. We had to pay over the odds to get our house because all the family homes had been turned into HMOS.
“I do not know why a house this size would be taken out of the family stock when it is in a prime family area.
“The dormer on the back would overlook us. It would break up the community. The trouble with HMOS is that you do not get to know the people that move in.”
Government changes in 2010 allowed property owners to automatically convert properties to HMOS under permitted development rights.
This means applicants do not have to have their plans scrutinised by councillors at a local authority planning committee.
Sandra Flatwell, 73, who also lives in Chandos Street, said: “Who is it that is coming in?”
“I feel like it will get the go-ahead anyway. We’re not happy about it at all, wherever you look there is a HMO.
“It could be a death trap coming out of here with all the parked cars. Where are they going to put them all with seven rooms.”
An Article 4 Direction has been introduced by Nottingham City Council and Broxtowe Borough Council, with concerns previously raised about the number of family homes in the likes of Beeston and Lenton being converted into HMOS for students.
Another frustrated neighbour, who wanted to stay anonymous, said: “There’s plenty of apartments and not enough family homes. We had a meeting about HMOS and there was a family there who knew someone that was evicted so that their rented home could be turned into a HMO.
“We need to stop this, Article 4 needed to be passed. The values of properties here will decrease because of it.”
The Post attempted to contact the applicant for comment.
The plans are pending consideration by Gedling Borough Council.
The trouble with HMOS is that you do not get to know the people that move in.
Fliss Knowlden