Plans to turn a three-bed family home in Twerton into a five-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) were approved by Bath & North East Somerset Council last week.
The plans for 100 Redland Park were submitted by a property developer and include reconfiguring the layout to provide two bedrooms, a porch, communal space and kitchen downstairs, along with three bedrooms, a bathroom and separate WC on the first floor.
The end-of-terrace property does not have any allocated parking, but a bike store will be provided in the back garden.
Objectors highlighted that parking is at a premium in the road, that the extra traffic will make an existing dangerous cul-de-sac worse, and that there are already too many HMOs.
There were also concerns relating to potential noise and that the conversion would create “cramped” living conditions for tenants.
The council has a mapping tool which identifies HMOs within a 100-metre radius as there can be no more than 10%. In this case, there are a total of 94 homes and two of them are HMOs, both on the opposite side of the road to No 100. The equates to just over 2%.
Another criterion the council takes into consideration is whether a property would be ‘sandwiched’ between HMOs.
The report added: “It is acknowledged that the property is attached on one side to a family property.
“The layout has considered the internal layout which has located the communal area to the ground floor; the kitchen, whilst open plan, is located on the wall away from the adjoining neighbour, along with the stairs being located away from the party wall. All of which will help to minimise any potential issues with noise.”
The planners were satisfied with the proposed size of the rooms and said there is no requirement to provide a minimum number of parking spaces.
Given its location, the public transport provision and proposed cycle storage, they said the HMO will not create a severe transport impact on the immediate area.
Permission to turn another property in Twerton into a HMO was also granted last week.
Aurelius Properties Ltd proposed changes to the layout of 14 Shaws Way, currently a three-bed semi, to become a HMO for four people, with no parking.
Concerns were raised by objectors that there are already too many student houses which the local infrastructure can’t support.
Council officers said the conversion would not result in ‘sandwiching’ between other HMO-certified properties and would not exceed the limit of 10% of households within a 100-metre radius being HMOs.
Council data shows this permission results in seven of 82 residential properties being HMOs, equating to 8.5%.
