13-bed HMO in Portsmouth approved despite concerns over parking

At their meeting on Wednesday (June 21), councillors backed the recommendation of council planners who said the London Road location of the Homecare building made it suitable for conversion. Objections had been made by ward councillors and people living nearby who described the proposed new shared house as ‘cramped’ and said the lack of any parking provision would exacerbate issues in the area.

Developer Scott Paker Properties had a previous proposal for a 16-bed HMO refused last year after the council ruled it would not provide enough living space for would-be occupants. These plans were revised and resubmitted in December in a bid to overcome these concerns.

But speaking at the committee meeting, Hilsea councillor Russell Simpson said the changes had made little difference.

‘Planning officers got this right the first time…It’s still cramped and parking should absolutely be considered here.’

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Matt Baker, the co-founder of the developer said the new proposal fully complied with the council’s planning policies.

He said: ‘The property provides 13 bedrooms that meet or exceed 10sqm and 74sqp of communal areas – this hugely exceeds the requirement – and is going to be a very attractive feature for people looking for accommodation in this area.’

Concerns about the parking situation in the area were acknowledged by committee members and council planning officers who said the current availability in the surrounding streets was ‘limited’. These concerns were also raised by the council’s transport department when it was consulted on the application. However, the recommendation of the report was approved by the committee with the addition of a condition that requires space for the storage of at least 10 bicycles to be included on-site.

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