Approval for Portsmouth homes to be mixed accommodation

Portsmouth City Council’s planning committee agreed the proposals for the four houses on Belmont Street, in Southsea, to be used as either HMOs or a normal house. Previously, the four properties could only be used as HMOs.

But residents in the street objected to the plans saying they did not want the houses to be HMOs as there were too many in the area.

Giving a deputation at the meeting held last month, a resident said: ‘We object to the HMO part of the application. There is already an imbalance of HMOs, with many of them lived in by students.

‘Sixty per cent of the houses in Belmont Street are HMOs.

‘There are three family homes sandwiched between 10 students’ houses. There have been a lot of complaints.

‘Living in Belmont Street is not an enjoyment.’

Chris Boyd, speaking on behalf of the application, said they wanted to make the four properties mixed use so they are available for families to use. He added: ‘The alternative is to keep them as solely HMOs which would not be beneficial to the neighbourhood.’