Agenda item

The report of the Chief Officer presents an application for the change of use from dwelling to 5 bed House in Multiple Occupation (C4) at 41 Spencer Place, Chapeltown, Leeds, LS7 4DQ

(Report attached)

The report of the Chief Planning Officer set out an application for the change of use from a dwelling to a 5 bed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) (C4) at 41 Spencer Place, Chapeltown, Leeds, LS7 4DQ.

Members were advised of a correction to Paragraph 20 which should read ‘This is an emerging SPD, which has been published for initial consultation between 18 January and 1 March 2021’, not 2020.

Members were informed of the following points:

• This application was brought to Plans Panel at the request of local Ward Councillors who had sent in a representation. The Ward Councillors were concerned that the area features high levels of HMO’s, which are putting pressure on local infrastructure including on street parking. The Ward Councillors were of the view that this site should remain as a family home. The Councillors also highlighted that this area of Leeds benefits from an Article 4 Direction;
• Members were reminded that the effect of an Article 4 Direction is not that it prevents a property ever being used as an HMO rather than a dwelling house, but simply that it dis-applies an automatic permitted development right for such a change of use.  Hence, why an application needed to be made and the matter was one that could come before Panel for determination.
• The property is an end Victorian terrace. There is no off street parking with residents parking on the street. Highways had made no objections to the HMO as they were of the view that this would make no difference to parking in the area;
• This application meets space standards and in some cases exceeds them. It was noted that as part of the recommendations a condition in relation to space standards had been included that space standards must be retained;
• The property has a dormer extension which would form part of the HMO.

Local Ward Councillors had raised concerns about the high concentration of HMO’s in the area. Members were shown a map of the area which set out the spread of HMO’s in this area.

There were no speakers for, or against, this application.

In response to questions from Members, officers provided the following information:

• The basement flat would remain independent from the HMO, this application was for the ground floor upwards only;
• Although the property benefits from a large front garden, this had not been considered for use of parking, as Highways were of the opinion that there would be no impact to on street parking.  In addition, there would be the risk that use of the front garden for off-street parking could in turn adversely impact on the streetscene and subsequent amenity of the property
• It was noted that all the bedrooms would have use of a bathroom most did have en-suite, although one bedroom had a separate bathroom for exclusive use.

Members’ discussions included:

• Shortage of family homes in the City;
• Insufficient parking;
• Bedroom sizes and living standards in general within HMOs;
• Recognition that young people wished to live independently away from family and HMO’s were a way of doing this;
• Appeal outcomes for applications on HMO’s.

Planning Officers provided information on outcomes of appeals from 2014 to September 2020. Members’ attention was drawn to Paragraph 37 of the submitted report which provided numbers in relation to HMO’s in the area.

RESOLVED – To grant planning permission subject to the conditions set out in the report.