Six-bedroom HMO at 73 Roydene Road, Plumstead, London SE18

What was proposed

The application proposed extensions and changing a single-family dwelling into a six-person, six-bedroom HMO with refuse storage and cycle parking.

“That Full Planning Permission be Granted for the “Construction of single storey rear extension, side and rear infill extension and L-Shaped rear dormer extension to facilitate the change of use of a single family dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to a six bedroom HMO with a maximum capacity of six persons (Use Class C4) with associated refuse storage and cycle parking.”

Officer report

The site and earlier process

The property is a dwelling at 73 Roydene Road, and consideration was deferred so a revised HMO Management Plan could be prepared.

“ADDENDUM This Addendum Report has been prepared to consider the revised HMO Management Plan submitted by the applicant following the Local Planning Committee meeting held on 3 March 2026, at which Members resolved to defer consideration of the application to enable a new HMO Management Plan to be prepared and submitted.”

“Members considered that the original HMO Management Plan, together with the responses provided during the committee meeting by those neighbours who spoke, did not provide sufficient detail to demonstrate that the proposed HMO would be effectively managed.”

Officer report

Application administration

The ownership certificate was corrected and neighbours, ward members and previous consultees were invited to comment on the revised management plan.

“Following the deferral on the 3 rd March it was found that the incorrect ownership certificate had been served and that Certificate B rather A should have been served given the applicant was not the owner of the property. This has since been amended and the correct certificate has been served on the correct owner of the property for the requisite period of at least 21 days.”

“Following the submission of the new HMO Management Plan, it was considered necessary to re-consult all neighbours, local ward members and all those who provided representations in response to the original consultation. Forty-eight (48) neighbouring properties and three (3) ward members were consulted on the 16 th April 2026.”

Officer report

What people said

Responses raised concerns about management, medical infrastructure, occupants, overdevelopment, privacy, parking, bedroom sizes and the loss of a family home.

“A condition has been attached to the decision notice requiring further details to be provided with a HMO Management Plan including details of a 24 hour telephone number. • There is a lack of medical infrastructure in the area to handle the uplift in residential occupancy. • The future tenants will be single men with alcohol and drug problems. • Other Councils have far stricter limits on HMOs. • The area is deprived and additional HMOs will exacerbate this.”

“ITEM NO: • Loss of privacy This is addressed within the impact on neighbour amenity section of the main report (Section 12) • The Car parking survey is inadequate. The submitted car parking survey is considered acceptable as assessed within the highways and parking section of the report below. This has been reviewed by the Highways Officers who has raised no objection to the survey results, methodology used or the time of the survey. • The bedroom sizes are too small.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A councillor and a local resident spoke against the application, while the applicant’s agent spoke in support.

Members’ discussion

Members heard that cycle storage was accessible, highways officers had no objection, and the bedrooms and kitchen met minimum standards.

“In response to Members’ questions, the Planning Officer said that there was sufficient space for bikes to be wheeled through the house to the back garden storage area and that Highways Officers had seen the proposals and had no objection.”

“In response to Members’ questions, the Planning Officer confirmed that the bedrooms and kitchen space were all compliant with minimum standards. The Development Control Manager, East added that in relation to the kitchen facilities provided, this would be a licensing matter.”

Minutes

The committee vote

The approval motion passed with six votes in favour, two against and one abstention.

“The Chair put the approval motion to the vote, and with…”

Minutes

The decision

Full planning permission was granted for the HMO and extensions, subject to conditions and authority to make minor wording changes.

“To authorise the Assistant Director (Planning and Building Control) to make any minor change to the detailed wording of the recommended conditions, as set out in Appendix 2 of the main report, its addendum and the minutes of the Local Planning Committee meeting, where the Assistant Director (Planning and Building Control) considers it appropriate, before issuing the final notice.”

Minutes