Seven-bedroom HMO at 48 Franklin Road, Gillingham

What was proposed

The application sought to change a dwelling into a seven-bedroom, seven-person HMO, with a rear dormer, rooflights, storage and solar panels.

“The Senior Planner outlined the application in detail for the change of use from a dwelling house (use class C3) to a 7-bedroom, 7-person house in multiple occupation (HMO) (sui generis), together with the construction of a rear dormer…”

“This record is available on our website – www.medway.gov.uk to the loft and rooflights; provision of cycle storage, bin storage within the existing garage, and installation of solar panels.”

Minutes

The surrounding area

There were 21 existing HMOs within 500 metres, while the proposed HMO would represent 1.5% of 67 properties within 200 metres.

“The Senior Planner further explained that the density map identified the breakdown of uses within the area. There were 21 existing HMOs within a 500- metre radius of the site. Within a 200-metre radius, 67 properties had been identified, which included some purpose-built flats, three dwellings that had previously been subdivided into flats and one HMO which was currently under consideration, although there were no registered HMOs.”

Minutes

Earlier application

A previous application to convert the property into a nine-bedroom HMO had been refused.

“He objected to the proposal, stating that whilst he was not opposed to HMOs in principle, he was concerned about the continued loss of family homes in the area. • He noted that a previous application to convert the property into a 9- bedroom HMO had been refused and argued that, although the current proposal had been reduced to a 7-bedroom HMO, the principle of the development remained unchanged.”

Minutes

Who spoke

The Senior Planner presented the application, and the Ward Councillor addressed the committee with its agreement.

Members’ questions

The Chief Planning Officer discussed consistency with another application and explained the roof-space ensuite’s maximum height and usable space.

“The Chief Planning Officer, when asked to respond to the Ward Councillor’s comments about the Committee’s decision on the previous application on the agenda within the same road and the need for consistency, explained that officer’s recommendations were consistent with the recommendation on the previous application.”

“In response to a question from the Chairperson regarding the dimensions of the room with the sloping roof within the ensuite, the Chief Planning Officer advised that the maximum height was 2.5 metres and that the useable space was 1.5 metres.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The application was deferred for further discussions with the applicant about the roof-space ensuite layout and its usability.

“This record is available on our website – www.medway.gov.uk Decision:”

“Deferred for further discussions with the applicant with regards to the layout of the ensuite-bathroom in the roof space to show the actual dimensions to ensure that the ensuite was usable.”

Minutes