Agenda item

Change of use from Use Class C4 (HMO) to Sui Generis to increase occupancy in HMO from 6 to 8 persons.

Recommendation: Approval

Change of use from Use Class C4 (HMO) to Sui Generis to increase occupancy in HMO from 6 to 8 persons.

Officers introduced the report and referred members to the addendum sheet that had been circulated.

Officers explained to Members that a HMO had been operating at the application property for approximately ten years.  There had been a previous application which was refused due to the lack of landscaping.  It was noted that the Council's Private Sector Officer had no concerns.   Members were aware of an additional 11 signatures to a petition in objection had been received.

In accordance with the Council's constitution a representative of the petitioners supporting/objecting the proposals addressed the meeting.

The petitioner objecting to the proposals made the following points:

·         Residents were opposing the HMO.

·         The proposals would cause a massive strain on parking in the local area.

·         50% of parking is only available on one side of the road.

·         Broadwater Gardens was a no through road.

·         Emergency Services had previously had trouble accessing the road.

·         Only 3 vehicles could fit on the driveway of the application premises.

·         There was no dropped kerb for vehicles to access the private parking.

·         Was confused why the owners had requested an HMO when the house had been up for sale.

·         The property was no longer a home and was now a business.

·         There had only been 4 lodgers at one time.

·         The traffic and parking situation would be worse than the current situation.

A representative of the applicant raised the following points:

·         Had lived in the Borough all their life.

·         Have 2 other properties which are also rented.

·         Residents had long standing tenancies.

·         Had provided a high standard of accommodation for residents.

·         Had purchased the property in 2013.

·         The previous owner had 7 tenants living in the property.

·         There had been no evidence to suggest that the property had contributed to the traffic and parking problems in the local area,

·         Tenants were professional working people, many of which worked at the local hospital, school and industrial estate.

·         There was a lack of affordable housing in Harefield which included flats.

·         The area was often patrolled by Civil Enforcement Officers to ticket vehicles parked illegally.

·         There had been no complaints received about tenants since they had owned the premises.

·         Had two sought after rooms in the premises.

·         The provided plans met the relevant criteria.

Members sought clarification on how many rooms were currently let and how many were proposed to be let.  The applicant informed the Committee that there were only 6 rooms let and that the proposal was for 8 rooms to be let.  The applicant also informed Members that no soft planting or landscaping had yet been implemented.

The Council's Highway Officer informed Members that the existing dropped kerb needed to be widened.  Members agreed to add an additional condition for the vehicle crossover details to be submitted to ensure appropriate access and egress arrangement in order to maintain appropriate levels of highways and pedestrian safety.

The recommendation for approval was moved, seconded and on being put to the vote was unanimously agreed. 

Resolved - That the application be approved, subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the officer's report and addendum sheet circulated at the meeting.