A PLANNED HMO in Merthyr Tydfil which more than 30 people objected to has been refused planning permission.
Plans for the five-bedroom house in multiple occupation in Maen Gilfach in Trelewis went before the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, May 8 and were refused.
At the committee meeting held on April 10 it was decided not to accept the officer recommendation to conditionally approve the planning application. Instead they decided they wished the application be refused on grounds relating to the unsustainable location of the application site.
Reasons for refusal have been drafted based on the views of members suggesting that the property is not in a sustainable location, that it is not well served by public transport or modes of sustainable transport, and that the property is not readily accessible to local amenities to serve future occupiers, which conflicts with national policy.
There were 36 letters of objection to the application which raised concerns in relation to parking provision, impact upon highway safety, and claimed that the proposed development would result in an over-intensification of the use of the dwelling which is not in keeping with the character of the area.
But in recommending approval planning officers said in their report the proposal would provide much-needed housing of an affordable nature in a time of economic hardship.
They said the change in the use of the property to a HMO would not require a greater provision of parking than the existing dwelling use and that a greater level of occupancy could occur at this property without the need for planning consent – therefore it was not considered justified or necessary to condition that off-street parking be provided.
Officers said the site was within the settlement boundary and given its proximity to an existing bus route it was considered that the stance of national policy further adds to the justification for not providing off-street parking provision.
They added that the head of engineering and highways has raised no objection to the proposal in relation to highway safety and recognised that a shortfall of parking provision exists and would not be exacerbated by the proposed development.
Officers added that the plan was not considered to result in an over-intensification of the dwelling’s use or to have any unacceptable adverse impact upon the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers.
Referring to the impact upon the character of the area, the officers said the land is within a residential area and has an existing residential use and this would be unchanged, therefore no objection was raised.
They added: “There are no other houses of multiple occupation in this area as such it is not considered that the introduction of one would have any significant change to the character of the area that would warrant concern.”
