Sandown residents are objecting to an application for a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in the town.
Among objections to the application to change the use of The Hendre on Leed Street, residents say they are already “blighted by the HMOs” in the area, “sick of the trouble they cause” and “would not feel safe” having the tenants on their doorstep.
Plans have been submitted to the Isle of Wight Council to change the current guest house into an 8-bed HMO.
The application is by Two Saints, a homeless not-for-profit service, in partnership with the council, to be used as part of the homeless pathway to reduce rough sleeping and prevent homelessness. The organisation already runs an HMO on nearby Fitzroy Street, which has been the subject of at least 2 Police incidents in recent months.
In planning documents, Two Saints say the accommodation would be used as ‘move-on’ property with tenants usually staying between 3 and 12 months.
Individuals who use the HMO will not be placed directly from the street but will have gone through an initial process to determine they are ready to live independently and successfully and not ‘negatively impact’ the local community.
One mother, however, objecting to the application is concerned having the HMO on the street will make a ‘scary an intimidating atmosphere’ for her son, as anti-social behaviour comes ‘hand in hand’ with this type of accommodation. She also said she was worried about crime levels increasing.
Another objector said there was a need for hotel and guest accommodation in the tourist destination, with another worried having the HMO next door to a hotel would put off’ tourists.
Hampshire Constabulary’s crime and disorder officer said the police force broadly support the HMO but that was conditional on the tenants ‘being at the appropriate stage of recovery to reside there’. They do have ‘concerns’ about the ‘possible problems’ caused by the residents.
Any type of anti-social behaviour or nuisance in or outside of the property will not be tolerated, Two Saints has said, with a member of staff present 6 days a week and CCTV installed. They said:
“We believe the property to be a really good opportunity to change lives and enable people to take new steps on their individual journeys.”
To view or comment on the application, 21/00170/FUL, you can visit the council’s planning portal. Comments will be accepted until 12th March.
Sorry but some of the objections are people stereotyping people not all homeless are bad some have just fallen on hard times Exactly like I did a few years ago and I ended up homeless in Sussex and if it wasn’t for charities like two saints who knows where I would be now so please stop tarnishing everyone with the same brush
Place these needy, lovely people in top authorities gardens, and SEE that how ‘they’ react.
Some of these are pure scum – stick them in the Solent.
Oh to be you Chris, I would like to dump you in the Solent,even scumbags have to live somewhere you pieres little man
Do those who run the two saints charity, have these HMO’s in the streets that they live in…if not, why not?
if it is perfectly acceptable in their view to locate yet another doss house in someone elses backyard, they should be willing to have it in their road first.
….and Camp Hill prison continues to sit empty, which looks absolutely pristine inside (YouTube “Abandoned Isle of Wight”). No need for anybody to be sleeping without a roof over their heads in the 21st century. OK, I know it’s owned by the MOJ, but they have a multitude of other large houses etc in Newport that have just been left to decay and be reclaimed by nature. An appalling case of mis-management of their estates. Somebody needs to sort out the red tape debacle.