A CITY property has been granted permission to continue as a HMO despite neighbour objections.
265 Tolladine Road has been approved to remain as a HMO (House in Multiple Occupation), by Worcester City Council despite neighbour objections over parking and safety concerns.
Neighbours claim the existing parking on the street is already putting potential property buyers off.
The application for a certificate of lawfulness was approved, formalising its use as a five-bedroom HMO.
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Neighbour concerns
Richard and Christine Germain, who live nearby, said: “This HMO has a room capacity of five but only two parking spaces outside (there is room in the garage for two cars, but this would mean the cars outside would have to be moved to let them out).
“More cars here will impact the other householders being able to turn in to the courtyard and park.
“This could end up with cars having to reverse out onto the main road.
“Two of the properties here have been on the market recently, and not sold despite dropping the price. Potential purchasers say the number of cars here is putting them off.”
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Other neighbours raised similar concerns and questioned whether the level of HMO occupancy was ever intended for the location.
Richard Tart said: “I am concerned that the current access serving the group of five properties would not be able to cope if the house is effectively converted into effectively five properties.
“Parking is already a problem and additional occupiers would only increase that problem.”
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‘Sufficient evidence’
Despite these objections, council officers found the evidence supplied by the applicant sufficient to approve the certificate.
In the delegated report, a spokesperson for the council said: “The supporting evidence/ information provided with the application does indicate that on the balance of probability the property has been used as a House of Multiple Occupation for a continuous period of 10 years or more up to and including when the application was made.
“Approval is therefore recommended.”
