Yahoo News Ten-bed Scunthorpe HMO is refused after claims of 'uproar and distress' by objecting residents
A proposed ten-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Scunthorpe has been refused after residents claimed it could cause "uproar and distress to the community".
A two-storey property in Jackson Road was proposed to be converted into an HMO, with an extension to the west. As well as ten bedrooms, it would have had two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a dining area, to share between its tenants.
The home used to be split between a grocery store and a flat, but has been vacant for some time. Three dozen letters of objection were made to the proposal with fears of crime and anti-social behaviour, parking issues and littering predominant.
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North Lincolnshire Council's planning committee decided last month to refuse it. It was deemed the proposal would not provide adequate living conditions and communal space for its occupants, would harm the area's character, and would cause "unacceptable impacts on highway safety" because of insufficient parking.
"My concerns boiled down to two reasons really," said committee member Cllr Max Bell, who confirmed the refusal was unanimous. Noting it may be couples or more than one resident in an HMO room, he said: "In my view, the living facilities there would not have supported a healthy environment for those 10+ residents."
The other reason was that the council's own statistics for its selective licensing consultation showed there are already a number of below standard houses, particularly HMOs, in the Crosby and Park Ward area. This was also raised by residents and ward councillors.
Cllr Bell added he and and a number of other colleagues were not opposed in itself to the change of use from former grocery store to accommodation. "Had they proposed to turn into two or three small flats, I would have viewed it more sympathetically."
The Jackson Road property was built in 1936 and an application document states it is "in a poor condition and would benefit from modernisation and decoration". The proposal included four car parking spaces and six for bicycles. An application document contended it would provide much needed accommodation in "an area that is much sought after".
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It had three comments of support, drawing attention to its current empty state. "At the moment I look out of my window and all I see is a dumping ground with railings around it at seven foot high," commented a nearby neighbour, "so it needs something doing with it."
These supportive comments, however, were drowned out by dozens of objectors. Scunthorpe MP Holly Mumby-Croft also submitted a letter of objection to it, read out at the planning meeting.
"As a resident with children I fear that this change of use into a 10 bedroom HMO is going to cause distress and uproar to the community," commented one objector. The proximity to a school, St Lawrence Academy, was also cited by a number of opponents to it.
"We already have a high level of crime drug and alcohol misuse in the area so to add a HMO to the area would only increase the problems and place school children and residents at higher risks. I also believe that this would further devalue the properties in the area."
Some comments suggested less concern had the bedroom proposals been more modest. "Ten residents in one building is too many, I am concerned about the amount of litter produced in an area already struggling with littering and lazy residents," commented another objector.
