Five-bedroom HMO at 9 Stoke Road, Gosport

What was proposed

The scheme proposed a rear first-floor extension, front shopfront changes, solar panels and conversion of part of the building into a five-bedroom HMO.

“CONSTRUCTION OF FIRST FLOOR REAR EXTENSION ABOVE EXISTING REAR PROJECTION, ALTERATIONS TO FRONT ELEVATION TO INCLUDE NEW SHOPFRONT, CHANGES TO FENESTRATION, INSTALLATION OF SOLAR PV AND CHANGE OF USE OF PART TO FORM HOUSE IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION (CLASS C4) WITH ASSOCIATED BIN & BICYCLE STORAGE (Amended drawings and Description of Development 28.10.2025) 9 Stoke Road Gosport Hampshire PO12 1LT”

“Planning permission is sought for various alterations and additions to the building to facilitate its partial conversion to form a Class C4 House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) comprising five bedrooms. The most significant change would be the construction of a first floor extension above an existing ground floor rear projection to provide a new staircase to the upper floor.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The two-storey building is a solicitors’ office in the Stoke Road District Centre and Conservation Area, with dwellings and commercial premises nearby.

“This application relates to a two-storey building located to the southern side of Stoke Road between its junctions with Henry Street and Joseph Street. The property is currently occupied as a Solicitors' Office with a shopfront onto Stoke Road and a rear yard accessed from Jamaica Place.”

“The site is located within the Secondary Frontage of the Stoke Road District Centre as defined by Policy LP27 of the Gosport Borough Local Plan 2011-2029. Stoke Road is a long linear town centre with a mix of shops and services, principally of independents, extending from Gosport Town Centre. Residential uses predominate in roads to the north and south and above some commercial premises within the centre.”

Officer report

Planning history and amendments

Earlier permissions covered office, workshop and extension works, while the amended scheme reduced extensions and occupants and enlarged the retained rear yard.

“The application has been amended from that originally submitted significantly reducing the scale of ground and first floor extensions to the rear, reducing the number of bedrooms/occupants, retaining a larger yard to the rear to accommodate bin and bicycle storage facilities and providing revised designs to the front elevation at ground and first floor level. A second period of public consultation followed ending on 18.11.2025.”

“10/00323/FULL - Use of the premises as a solicitors office (Class A2) (Conservation Area) - Permitted 11.10.2010 03/10417/FULL - Removal of Condition 2 to consent 81/06576/PA (Conservation Area) - Permitted 15.05.2003 86/06577/PA - Single-storey extension (Inclusive of first floor fire escape) - Permitted 22.07.1986 81/06576/PA - Change of use of ground floor office to printing workshop with ancillary retail use - Permitted 06.10.1981.”

Officer report

Officers recommended approval

Officers considered the retained commercial frontage, housing contribution, design, living conditions, neighbour impact, highways and ecology acceptable subject to conditions.

“Regard is also made to the provisions of the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) (GPDO) that would allow for the conversion of commercial units to dwellings without the express permission of the Local Planning Authority (LPA) subject to certain limitations and conditions.”

“Subject to appropriate detailing which can be sought through planning condition, it is considered that the alterations would be a positive change for the building and would improve the character of the surrounding area. While representations make reference to the proposed materials, it is noted that the building already incorporates UPVC windows at first floor level and an aluminium shopfront.”

Officer report

Consultation and representations

Consultees generally raised no objection, while the Gosport Society and residents raised concerns including parking, design, noise, privacy, waste and the Conservation Area.

“- The changes will not enhance the area; - Increased noise & disturbance; - Waste management issues; - Overshadowing and loss of light; - Overlooking and loss of privacy; - Increased light pollution; - Overcrowding & health & Safety concerns; - Impact on families and elderly individuals living in the area; - Design changes to front elevation inappropriate; - Impact on the Conservation Area; - Disruption during…”

“Issues raised: - The amendments do not address initial concerns; - Previous concerns still stand; - The reduced occupation would still exacerbate exiting parking issues in the area - Use inappropriate for the area; - The revised front elevation is more in keeping with the Conservation Area, but the use of plastic and aluminium is inappropriate.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent told members that the proposal included storage, improved the frontage and was close to transport links without harming surrounding areas.

Members discussed parking and occupancy

Members questioned the lack of parking, HMO occupancy management and frontage, while noting the smaller scheme and the greater need for housing.

“Members acknowledged that the proposal was for single rooms, and questioned how this could be managed. The Board was advised that the property would need to be licensed as a HMO and although physical occupancy could not be controlled, the design of the rooms was such that they would be single rooms and not design for twin occupancy, any breach of this would need to be dealt with within the remit of the tenancy.”

“Members acknowledged that parking was always an issue with HMO’s and that it would continue to be. There will always be a need for parking spaces, but there was a greater need for housing and sometime compromises needed to be made to accommodate them and if there was not parking spaces, sometimes this had to be accepted.”

Minutes

The committee approved it

The Board approved the application subject to the conditions set out for the development.

“RESOLVED: That application 25/00066/FULL be approved subject to the conditions in the report of the Head of Development Management.”

Minutes