Six-bed HMO approved at Lambridge despite parking ‘crisis’ fear

Plans to turn a house at Lambridge into a six-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) have been granted permission despite concern that parking in the area is close to “crisis point”.

Bath & North East Somerset Council planners approved the change of use of Green Hedges in Grosvenor Bridge Road. The HMO will have one car parking space and eight cycle spaces.

The council had received three objections. One local resident highlighted the “insufficient” parking and said there is already a “dangerous” number of vehicles coming and going into London Road, with parked vehicles in Ringswell Gardens and Grosvenor Bridge Road.

They said: “It is already very difficult to exit Grosvenor Park safely with the vehicles – many of them large vans left for days when their owners go to enjoy the canal facilities – parked both left and right so that vision is seriously impaired with traffic coming from both ways.

“Cyclists and walkers are particularly vulnerable and I have no doubt if this is not protected in some way there will be very serious accidents, if not fatalities. Parking in this area is getting to crisis point.”

Concerns were also voiced that the plans lacked the basic details needed for the council to be able to make an informed decision.

But council officers said the scheme complies with relevant planning policies; the property recently underwent renovations and has the required energy performance rating of Band C.

The conversion will not result in ‘sandwiching’ between other HMO certified properties, nor breach the current 10% threshold rule. Based on council data, the permission will result in two of 118 residential properties within a 100-metre radius, which equates to 1.7%.

The officers’ report noted: “Whilst the objection states that the works will add to the already dangerous number of vehicles travelling along London Road with parked vehicles on Ringswell Gardens and Grosvenor Bridge Road, the proposal is not seeking to increase the number of bedrooms within the property and the proposal is not found likely to result in a significant increase in vehicle movements over the existing dwelling.”

They said the access and parking arrangements are “acceptable and maintain highway safety standards”.