Five-bedroom HMO at 32 Salisbury Road, Chatham

“This application seeks planning permission for the conversion of the existing 3 bed, Use Class C3, property into a C4 five-bedroom HMO.”

“The proposal also includes a single storey rear extension to provide the living room part of the dining/living room.”

“With the agreement of the Committee, Councillor Maple addressed the Committee as Ward Councillor and raised the following concerns:”

“For clarification, the application would have been referred to the Planning Committee due to the number of representations, irrespective of the Article 4 Direction. • There were already high numbers of HMOs within the locality. • Local residents and representatives of the New Road Parents Community had raised concerns regarding additional traffic and parking pressures.”

“Members discussed the planning application in detail and expressed concerns regarding highway safety, existing parking pressures, the potential increase in traffic movement and the loss of a family dwelling.”

“The Senior Planner confirmed that Condition 7, required a Parking Management Plan to be submitted, prior to first occupation of the development. The plan would set out how parking would be managed for residents and visitors and would include measures to minimise parking impacts on the surrounding area.”

“The Committee then voted on the officers’ recommendation to approve the planning application, which was lost. Members subsequently considered whether it would be appropriate to defer the determination of the planning application pending the proposed highways investigations, or whether the application should be refused.”

“The proposed use as a 6 person House in Multiple Occupation would generate a greater level of parking demand than the existing three bedroom dwelling and in the absence of any parking provision would result in increased parking pressure and indiscriminate parking in an area of parking stress in close proximity to parking restrictions and a primary school, which would interfere with pedestrian use of the footpaths and cause highway hazards contrary to policies H7, T1 and…”

“The proposed change of use from a C3 dwelling to a C4 House in Multiple Occupation would result in the loss of a family dwelling that would reasonably be expected to be occupied by a single household contrary to Policy H7 of the Medway Local Plan (2003) and T8 of the Regulation 22 Medway Local Plan 2041 (December 2025).”