Permission has been granted for a property at Odd Down to be converted into a five-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) despite concerns which include the impact on parking in an area described as an “accident blackspot”.
Bath & North East Somerset Council last week approved the application from 18-25 Properties for 1 Frome Road, which is an end-of-terrace house near the Rush Hill roundabout.
Lib Dem councillors Joel Hirst and Steve Hedges had raised their objections about more HMOs being created in their ward.
Last month we reported on a B&NES planning committee debate during which members called for a change to the rules governing HMOs amid escalating concern about the impact on some areas of Bath, including Odd Down.
In relation to the application for 1 Frome Road, Councillors Hirst and Hedges said: “We feel strongly that Odd Down ward needs to be protected for housing for family units. The city of Bath is incrementally pricing families out of areas like Odd Down.
“This is being driven by a number of factors including unsustainable growth in student numbers at the universities without growth in purpose build student housing on campus to meet this demand.
“The city of Bath is limited in its ability to grow because of World Heritage status. If we want a sustainable city where a range of people from a range of economic backgrounds can afford to live in Bath, we need to protect key areas for potential key worker properties. Odd Down is one such area.”
The councillors were “especially concerned” about this application, saying: “There is already a very high density of HMOs across the road in the Clarks estate (at least 17 or the 100 properties) in addition to three in the Bloomfield Rise area.
“The access to this premises is very sensitive, right by the Rush Hill roundabout – there is insufficient parking for cars in this area without a house with five potential residents looking for spaces.
“Already spill-over parking occurs in the Clarks estate which has been so problematic that additional double yellow lines have been installed.
“Already there have been several occasions of accidents involving either the fence near the roundabout or the bollards outside this property. This is a bit of an accident blackspot.”
The councillors said they wanted the application to be heard at the planning committee, rather than the decision be delegated to planning officers.
However, vice chair Councillor Lucy Hodge (Lib Dem, Lansdown) said that noting the concerns and the “regrettable loss of another family home in this area of Odd Down”, the officer has found this application to be policy compliant and highways have not identified any concerns.
She said it would be unlikely that the planning committee would come to a different decision.
Planning committee chair Councillor Ian Halsall (Lib Dem, Oldfield Park) agreed, saying: “The council’s HMO policies were debated at the December 2024 planning committee.
“Whilst the concerns of ward councillors is acknowledged, the proposal is manifestly in compliance with policy and the committee would be unlikely to reach an alternative view.”
Highways officers did not raise any concerns and planning officers said the conversion of 1 Frome Road is policy compliant.
Based on council data, it would not result in ‘sandwiching’ between other HMO-certified properties nor mean that more than 10% of homes in a 100-metre radius are HMOs.
Records show six HMOs out of 96 residential properties, which equals 6.25%.