Portsmouth HMOs: More than 200 people object to plans for new shared home in Hilsea

A previous application, described as being 'materially identical' by Portsmouth City Council planning officers, was refused by its planning committee earlier this year due to the lack of any windows in one of five bedrooms proposed for the Rampart Gardens home.

Under the new scheme, the plans for the building have renamed the bedroom as a 'store room' which the application form says 'would appear to address the reason for refusal'.

Despite the change, opponents of the HMO conversion have reiterated their concerns about the move, urging the planning committee, which will consider the application at its meeting on Wednesday (August 10) to reject it again.

'This area is not suitable for this type of property and even though the previous application was objected and they have reapplied stating one less room,' an anonymous comment submitted to the council says.

'My previous reasons for objection still stand. This is a residential area and suffers from parking problems already and this will just add to the problem.

'The immediate neighbours have had a difficult time to say the least due to all of this and it needs to be put to bed once and for all.’

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However, a report published ahead of the meeting recommends councillors approve the change of use of the building, allowing its conversion to an HMO.

'Having regard to all material planning considerations and representations, it is concluded that the proposed change of use is acceptable and would be in accordance with the relevant policies of the Portsmouth Plan and the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework,' it says.

The report adds that council housing officers have confirmed the room now marked for storage 'is not suitable to be used as sleeping accommodation and thus would not be able to be licensed'.

There is a currently a council consultation about extending HMO licensing in Portsmouth to thousands more homes.

Members of its cabinet approved a consultation on the introduction of a new ‘additional licensing’ scheme which will extend the current system to cover three- and four-bed houses in multiple occupation.