Despite a neighbour’s fierce opposition to the plans, a new ‘low cost’ House of Multiple Occupation – more commonly known as a HMO – is to be established in Newport.
The Isle of Wight Council has approved Ryan Newman’s proposal to turn an existing 5-bed home at 29 Albert Street, Newport, into a 7-bed HMO.
The property will be operated by care provider Call on Me who will provide supported living accomodation for 6 people, according to a Design, Access and Planning Statement prepared by chartered town planner, Paul Stack.
Mr Stack said the proposed accommodation met the definition of ‘affordable housing’.
His document said:
“The proposal represents an appropriate and sympathetic introduction of low cost rented accommodation that will allow for the continued upkeep and maintenance of the building, thereby benefitting the urban environment and helping to maintain the vitality of the town centre.”
On the ground floor, there would be a living room, kitchen and utility room, 2 bedrooms and a shared bathroom. The first floor would have 5 bedrooms. 6 out of 7 bedrooms would be en-suite.
Also included in the application is a replacement of the house’s garage door at the front with a smaller bathroom window, a single storey flat-roofed extension at the rear of the property as well as a new bike shelter and bin store.
Kelly Plumbley, resident of 11 Albert Street, said in a public comment:
“This is clearly a “make money quick” renovation with no thought considered to local residents.
“Firstly, the planning notice has been attached to a telegraph pole facing outwards towards the road, meaning nobody has really seen the notice.
“This has clearly been done so nobody really sees it! There is plenty of space facing towards the pavement whereby it could have been placed.
“This road has limited parking and we already find ourselves having to park several roads away, most days.”
In an Officer Written Justification, the council said:
“It is considered the proposal would be consistent with the council’s spatial strategy which seeks to focus housing within and adjacent to defined settlements and to prioritise the reuse of previously developed (brownfield) land.”
Proposed changes to the house were assessed as ‘relatively modest and innocuous’.
Considering the application’s impact on neighbours, the council continued:
“The proposal would see this currently empty building renovated and brought back into use for a residential use which would be compatible with surrounding residential uses.
“There is no evidence that HMOs are causing any particular issues in this part of Newport and the Council’s environmental health officer has raised no concerns with the proposed use.”
Conditions attached to the council’s approval include development starting within 3 years of permission being granted, submitted plans being adhered to, the bin store being in place prior to the HMO being in use and the property housing no more than 7 residents.
Internal and external changes to the property must also be completed before the HMO comes into use.
How many HMOs are there in Seaview or Bembridge, I wonder? This Island is becoming divided and very strange.
That is because they are wealthy areas and too be honest
Councillors in those areas would be up in arms.
We are not all in it together like they say, we never have been
and never will be.
They could turn County Hall into 1 big HMO
majority of the staff are still working from home
so it would be a win situation for everyone.
More HMO’s are needed on the Island.
In a past existence I lived in an HMO. It was a town house that had been turned into 6 individual lets. The tenants (and myself) were just working people who needed cheap and temporary accommodation….
All I can say is I felt sorry for the neighbours. The amount of coming and going, visitors, car parking, lack of care for the garden, general noise etc must have been hell for the locals.
I