Five-bedroom HMO at 389 Tonbridge Road, Maidstone

The site

The property is in Maidstone’s urban area on a mainly residential road, with shops, restaurants and public houses nearby.

“The application site is in the Maidstone urban area, approximately 1.7km from Maidstone Town Centre (direct distance). The property is approximately 2 minutes’ walk from the closest bus stop.”

“The prevailing character of Tonbridge Road is predominantly residential, terraced properties, punctuated by a mixture of uses such as class E (restaurants/ shops) and public houses. There is no local concentration of existing HMOs.”

Officer report

Officers’ recommendation

Officers recommended permission because the site is sustainable and the proposal was acceptable for neighbours, accommodation, appearance, parking and highways.

“RECOMMENDATION: GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION subject to planning conditions…”

“SUMMARY OF REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION: • Sustainable location, • Acceptable in terms of neighbour amenity, standard of accommodation, visual amenity, impact upon parking and the wider highway network. • Proposal includes a landscaped front garden from existing hardstanding, which constitutes a visual improvement to character of the street scene.”

Officer report

Main planning issues

The assessment considered character and appearance, neighbour amenity, accommodation standards, parking and servicing.

“The key issues are: • Character and appearance • Neighbour amenity • Standard of accommodation • Parking and servicing…”

Officer report

Consultation responses

The council’s housing service raised no objection and said a five-person licence could be issued subject to future management arrangements.

“CONSULTATIONS (Please note that summaries of consultation responses are set out below. Comments are discussed in more detail in the section where considered necessary)”

“MBC Housing 5.01 No objection • licence would be issued for 5 people in 5 households subject to future management arrangements.”

Officer report

Who spoke

An objector’s representative addressed the committee, and a councillor read a statement for ward members who objected but could not attend.

The decision

Permission was granted subject to the report’s conditions, with delegated powers for the Head of Development Management to settle or amend conditions and informatives.

“That permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report.”

“That the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to be able to settle or amend any necessary planning conditions and/or informatives in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.”

Minutes