Appeal over 'cramped space' HMO rejected

An appeal that would allow a home to be converted into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) has been rejected, with a planning inspector saying most rooms would be too cramped.

Orginal plans to turn the property on Woden Road, Wolverhampton, into a six-bed HMO had been turned down by the city council, which said it feared the move would lead to more problems for the Heath Town area.

The proposal "failed to promote a safe and accessible environment", the authority stated, but the developer lodged an appeal with the government's planning inspectorate.

An inspector has since ruled the property to be too small for the plan but said fears over an increase in crime had not been properly evidenced.

The inspector branded such concerns "generic" and instead concentrated on practical layouts.

Dean Investment Properties had asked for permission to demolish a side extension, build a new rear extension and convert the property's loft.

But the inspector found the development would have lacked proper communal areas.

Four of the proposed bedrooms "would offer very limited space for furniture, storage, and circulation, leading to a cramped and uncomfortable living environment", their report said.

Plans indicated a "small" ground floor area between the front and rear bedrooms, which would also function as the primary route through the house.

"This space is shown as accommodating a sofa and table; however, given its dual role as a thoroughfare and its limited size, it appears cramped and impractical," the report stated.

Earlier this year, when rejecting the plans, the council said the wider location had "high levels of crime".

It added the proposal "would likely lead to the potential for further crime and disorder and add to the fear of crime".

West Midlands Police objected, saying another HMO on Woden Road would run the risk of turning the "stable, family-oriented street" towards a "more transient, high-turnover environment" that could increase crime.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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