Application Number: 22/P0479

Ward:  Hillside

Recommendation:  GRANT Planning permission subject to conditions and S106 Agreement

The Development Control Team Leader (North) presented the report.

The Committee received a presentation from one objector who raised points including:

·         The area mainly consisted of family dwellings and a large HMO (House of Multiple Occupation) would be unsuitable

·         The proposal would change the character of the area, with no other HMOs in the immediate vicinity and have a detrimental effect on the neighbourhood

·         The use of the property garden by the occupants would lead to excessive noise

·         The new entrance would be sited opposite a nursery which was an unsuitable location

·         The size of the shared kitchen/diner would be unable to accommodate 8 households and there were only 3 bathrooms included in the proposal.

The Application responded to the points raised and advised:

·         The proposed site was close to public transport and provided one off-street parking space

·         The proposal met a local need in providing affordable accommodation

·         The property had a large rear garden and the proposal would require no additional works as the property already contained 8 bedrooms

·         All rooms could be used as single occupancy and the property was already designed to host 8 people

·         The property had a large dining space and outdoor amenity

·         The property is detached and would be let out to working professionals and the level of noise was not expected to increase

·         Security cameras were sited at entrance points

The Development Control Team Leader (North) responded to the points raised noting that officers would be guided by the Merton HM0 2021 guidance document and the application did conform to the requirements within this guidance. The property would not be occupied by children or families and therefore an increase in noise would be less likely, however noise nuisance could be reported to the Council.

In response to questions from members, Planning Officers responded that the proposal was for 8 occupants, however there may be occasions where there were more people in the property, however should a complaint be submitted that there were regularly more than 8 persons within the property, the Planning Enforcement team could assess this and this would also lead to a breach of the HMO licence by the Applicant. An informative could be added to the application to enforce that the property must only be occupied by a maximum of 8 persons.

Members commented on the proposal, requesting that a further condition be placed on the application to ensure that the refuse bins outside the property were capable of holding the waste generated and raising concerns that there would be more than 8 persons in the property.

The Interim Head of Development Management and Building Control responded that a condition could be imposed in relation to the refuse space and the details would be referred to the waste team as well as informing them of the views of the Committee. It could also be conditioned that the development implementation be entirely in accordance with the plans.

The Chair moved to the vote and it was

RESOLVED:

That the Committee GRANTED Planning permission subject to conditions and S106 Agreement