PLANS for an HMO in the Rhondda, which has had more than 100 public objections, could soon be formally refused by councillors.
The application for a five-bedroom house in multiple occupation on Gordon Street, Ton Pentre, is due to go back before Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT)’s planning committee on Thursday, August 15.
There have been 62 letters of objection received from local residents, local councillors, and the Senedd Member for South Wales Central, Andrew RT Davies. Additionally, a separate petition with 58 signatures raised concerns over the safety of the community, lack of parking, the amenity of neighbours, noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, a lack of community cohesion, and whether the HMO is needed in the area.
The proposal previously came before the committee in June when the committee voted to refuse the application, going against the recommendation of officers. They considered the property to be substandard for use as a five-bedroom house in multiple occupation. Consequently, a further report is being brought to highlight the potential strengths and weaknesses of this decision.
The planning report stated that the committee members considered the property not of a scale that could appropriately accommodate an HMO for occupation by five people. They believed the conversion would lead to overdevelopment of the site and an intensification of use, resulting in substandard and poor-quality living accommodation for future residents. Issues such as small bedroom sizes and a lack of shared facilities were noted, and it was emphasized that the local planning authority should aspire to provide good quality accommodation for future occupants.
The committee felt that these concerns are key considerations of such a scheme, and proposals for residential schemes that would create poor-quality living accommodation for future residents should be refused.
Planning officers have put forward a potential reason for refusal that the committee could use if they are still minded to reject the application, which reads:
“The proposal represents an inappropriate conversion and is considered overdevelopment of the site, resulting in an unacceptable intensification of use and poor-quality living accommodation for future residents; and a detrimental impact on the amenities of nearby residents.
As such, the application is contrary to Policy AW5 of the Rhondda Cynon Taf Local Development Plan and Supplementary Planning Guidance: Houses in Multiple Occupation.”
However, in their planning assessment of the application, officers said: “It is considered that HMOs have a key role to play in meeting housing need within the social rented sector and that the proposal would assist in providing alternate accommodation within the village for residents that cannot afford properties of their own.
However, it is also acknowledged that the occupation of a house by multiple individuals can result in the intensification of its traditional residential use, and that such an intensification could negatively impact future occupants, their neighbours, and the local community.
In this case, the scheme relates to an existing building that is currently in residential use. The application site is located within the settlement limits of Ton Pentre, in a predominantly residential area of the village.
It is also within a sustainable location with good access to public transport links and local services and facilities, which is considered acceptable. Furthermore, the application complies with relevant policies of the council’s Houses in Multiple Occupation Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG).
Therefore, the proposed residential use is considered acceptable, in principle, at this location. The proposal would not involve substantial external alterations and would therefore have no impact upon the character and appearance of the application property.
With limited alterations and an occupation of only five individuals, it is not considered the scheme would result in a considerable intensification of use, or a significant impact upon the amenity and privacy of surrounding properties. Nor would it have any undue impact upon highway safety in the vicinity of the site.”
They also noted that since April 2019, all HMOs in RCT are required to be licensed under the Additional Licensing (Houses in Multiple Occupation) Scheme 2019. Consultation with the public health and protection team confirmed that the development would comply with all relevant standards required to secure a separate HMO licence.
