Plans for three HMOs in Portsmouth approved despite residents' pleas

Members of Portsmouth City Council rejected the expansion of one house in multiple occupancy (HMO), however, were unable to refuse permission for three others due to policy.

Chairman of the East St Thomas Residents Forum, Martin Willoughby, attended the planning meeting on behalf of the forum’s 200 members. He said: ‘We seem to be a regular fixture here.

‘We continue to look to our councillors to stop the onslaught of HMOs in our roads.’

Forum member Hazel Taylor said: ‘Please think about the impact on communities.

‘We are not anti-HMO. We recognise they make up part of the housing mix. But you can’t keep approving most of them in the same 20 or 30 streets in the city.’

Councillors approved plans to expand previously deferred 42 Festing Grove in Southsea up to seven bedrooms as it met space requirements and other guidelines.

The expansion of 48 Green Road in Southsea from six to seven bedrooms was also approved. Despite a small amount communal space it met bedroom space and officers warned they could lose on appeal.

Councillor Steve Pitt added: ‘No-one wants to live between HMOs. Because Green Road is sandwiched between two HMOs it’s not going to be returning to use as a family home.’

However, a controversial application to convert 130 St Andrew’s Road in Southsea from a five-bedroom to an eight-bedroom HMO was rejected. Its only communal space and two shower rooms were below the minimum size standards.

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson said: ‘This is worse than the previous application (Green Road). The last one had en-suites for everybody. This is shoddy in comparison.’

Cllr Pitt said: ‘When somebody is choosing to take away living space to turn it into another bedroom that’s a choice the developer’s making to make money. There’s no other reason for this.’

An application to convert 73 Stubbington Avenue in North End from a family home to a four-bedroom HMO was also approved.