4 days Ago By [email protected] (Michael Kenwood)
Belfast Council has turned down an application to transform a house in East Belfast to a HMO building, despite recommendations to approve from its own officials. At the December meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee, elected representatives refused an application for a proposed change of use from a dwelling to a three bed HMO at 6 Paxton Street, between Templemore Avenue and Castlereagh Street. They refused the application on the grounds of insufficient amenity space.
The property is a two storey residential terraced dwelling with a two-storey rear return. The proposal included the partial demolition of an existing rear extension to create a new flat roof, as well as fenestration changes and a new roof and light window to the front. The applicant was Robert McGlone, of Newtownabbey.
READ MORE: Four mid-Victorian buildings in South Belfast proposed for listed status READ MORE: Ormeau Road Irish language school has planning permission renewed Houses of Multiple Occupation, or HMOs, which landlords lease out to three or more tenants from different addresses, have become increasingly controversial, with some arguing they have negatively affected communities and led to anti-social behaviour, in places like the Holylands and Stranmillis in South Belfast where landlords rent houses to undergraduates. Applications for new HMO licences have increased in other parts of the city in recent years, notably in North Belfast , and have been consistently rejected by councillors in this part of the city. Licences are issued for five year periods, and are awarded by the Belfast City Council Licensing Committee.
HMO licence renewal cannot be refused on the basis of overprovision of such properties in an area, but new licences can be refused on this basis. While the council policy is that HMOs should not account for more than 20 percent of any area of housing management, in reality many streets greatly exceed this, with some in the Holylands reaching over 90 percent. Outside housing policy areas the threshold is 10 percent.
The council received two objections from third parties against the Paxton Street application, issuing concerns regarding a HMO's potential negative impact on the local amenity, and concerns about a lack of parking. Objectors also raised concerns about bin provision, potential anti-social behaviour and noise, the impact on sewage and the devaluing of property. Planning officers at Belfast Council recommended the Paxton Street application for approval.
The council planning report on the application states: “The scheme is compliant with policy in that the 10 percent threshold for HMOs on Paxton Street has not yet been reached. "Officers consider that the proposal will not be harmful in terms of traffic, parking, impact on residential amenity or the amenity of the surrounding area of the Templemore Avenue Draft Area of Townscape Character.” The report adds: “(Regarding the) devaluing of property: this is not a material consideration and is outside the remit of the planning service.
“(Regarding the) impact on sewage: two additional ensuites will not intensify the use of an existing dwelling. The dwelling will be connected to the main sewerage network as all properties on the street are.” It adds: “According to the LPS Pointer Address database there are 33 domestic properties on Paxton Street.
This would allow for three HMO properties on Paxton Street before the 10 percent threshold would be exceeded. “The objection raises concerns that there are many properties in the area that are HMOs. However, according to our records there are no HMO properties on Paxton Street.
” It states: “The property is a two storey dwelling and is of sufficient size to accommodate an HMO, comfortably providing accommodation for three people whilst still meeting the space standards. “The proposal complies with the HMO space standards for a three bed HMO as set out within Belfast Local Development Plan. The proposal would provide a quality and sustainable residential environment.
” Despite this, DUP Councillor Bradley Ferguson proposed refusal for the application at the Planning Committee meeting. He said: “We had a site visit last week there with a couple of (elected) members. “Being on that street is incredibly tight, I think you would agree.
We managed to make a visit to its back yard, and at one point we had to put two members in to have a look, and two out, and then the next two went in. “So I would suggest if we are struggling for two people to stand in the space, the lack of amenity space is quite clearly there.” He said: “Across the city, HMOs have become a big issue, where people are informing members.
We saw that the parking in this street also was a heavy issue. We arrived in taxis and the drivers were struggling to get somewhere to park and wait for us. So we were dropped off.
“Taking these two issues at least into account we should reject this application.” Alliance Councillor Tara Brooks said: “I completely understand the issues with HMOs and the concern. “But my worry is there has been a planning appeal, overturning one of these refusals.
If we keep on refusing these, there is a chance they could keep on getting overturned, and it is just going to end up costing the council a lot of money. I would suggest that the long term solution involves looking at the policies.” After receiving details of the outside amenity space however she supported the proposal to refuse the application.
Alliance Councillor Eric Hanvey said: “I’m not a fan of HMOs in any sense. But we have been talking about social housing stress - and this is one of the most affordable forms of housing. Particularly for young people in these communities, this may be the only housing they can afford.
“I think we need to be a little bit cautious, we do need to look at our policy, and I would agree if we are going to have HMOs they should be good HMOs.”.
