Charity’s accommodation plans are refused over design concerns

A charity’s plans to turn a house in multiple occupation (HMO) at Odd Down into a residential institution by adding two extensions have been refused.

The detached bungalow at Rush Hill is currently a three-bedroom HMO, with a ground floor and lower ground floor.

The planning application said the property, which is used by Mercy In Action, has been adapted over the years to sensitively house homeless women and their babies, providing a safe environment and an opportunity to rebuild independence.

The report added: “The demand for such accommodation is many times greater than the availability of such suitable accommodation.

“The success of the current set-up at No.135 takes us on to the proposed scheme to further enhance such a positive set-up and provide additional specialist accommodation that is so urgently required.”

The charity proposed adding a third storey and a single-storey rear extension to create four separate units in total. Off-street parking for four vehicles plus cycle storage were included in the plans.

Bath & North East Somerset Council received six objections, with concerns about parking, overlooking and overdevelopment.

Planning officers said there was no evidence to suggest the development would have a significant impact on local roads.

However, they were concerned that the size and scale would result in overdevelopment and harm the character and appearance of the area.

They also refused the plans as they felt the design would result in “inadequate” living conditions, highlighting that the proposed lower ground floor flat could only be accessed through bi-fold doors and the bedroom in this unit did not meet the minimum space standard and had minimal outlook.

Occupiers of the ground floor would only be able to access their kitchen by going out through the front door and around the house.

There were further issues, including that those living on the first and second floors would need to walk through the unit on the ground floor to get to their flats.