Two 12-bedroom HMOs at Birchwood Nursing Home, Grantham

“The proposal is for a proposed change of use from a 14-bedroom Residential Care Home (Use Class C2) for up to 17 residents, to two 12-bedroom House of Multiple Occupancy (Use Class Sui Generis) for up to 24 residents.”

“Policy H4 (Meeting all Housing Needs) states that new housing proposals shall (d) increase choice in the housing market. This proposal would provide multiple units of small housing provision within the main town of Grantham, provided for the rental market.”

“The proposal would result in adequate access, parking and turning facilities and would not have an unacceptable adverse impact on highway safety in accordance with Policy ID2 of the Local Plan and the NPPF Section 9. Other Matters 7.7.1 The Housing Act 2004 Part 1 assesses housing conditions and enforces housing standards in dwellings, HMOS, unoccupied HMO accommodation, and any common parts of a building containing one or more flats.”

“No objections, subject to planning condition and informatives. Suggests planning condition for the provision of three pedestrian crossing points over St Catherines Road; junction with Newton Street, Stonemasons Court, Dudley Road, to improve the existing footway network for vision impaired pedestrians.”

“Grantham Town Councillor Tracey Forman 5.6 Objection. Comments: ‘Parking is already an issue on Dudley Road and a HMO will bring more issues near the school and senior citizens accommodation. So I would request that highways take a good look at this application. I am a Town Councillor and will seek to object further via that route’. SKDC Conservation Officer 5.8 No objections.”

“One Member proposed a deferral of the application due to the Committee not having the robust site-specific evidence to determine the application. A deferral would allow the Applicant to provide the necessary information and clarification. A site-specific parking and car ownership assessment, clarification and correction of the design and access statement, a clear waste and servicing strategy and a re- consideration whether 24 occupants was appropriate for this site.”

“- The proposed use for two 12-bedroom HMOs was an over intensification and harm to residential amenity (contrary to DE1 and NPPF). - Inadequate living conditions for future occupiers, internal layout, communal space, constrained bathroom provision and restricted external amenity space (contrary to DE1 and NPPF). - Harm to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, including bin storage and parking (contrary to EN6 and NPPF). - Cumulative impact of HMOs.”

“The proposed change of use to 2(no) houses of multiple occupation, each with up to 12 occupants, would require operational development in the form of subdivision of an existing window, removal of boundary treatments, increased hardstanding and additional bin storage and cycle storage, which would cumulatively result in harm to the character and appearance of the area contrary to Policy DE1 of the adopted Local Plan.”

“There is insufficient information on which to assess the potential parking and waste storage required to support the development, such that the local planning authority cannot be satisfied that the proposed development would not result in an increase level of on-street parking, or would result in an unacceptable impact on the character of the area, contrary to Policy DE1 of the adopted Local Plan.”