NINETY angry residents object to plans to 'destroy' beautiful Northampton town house and turn it into HMO

NINETY objections have been lodged by angry residents to stop a historical Northampton town house from being turned into a HMO – but the council has recommended the plans for approval anyway.

Plans to convert number 73 Billing Road, a Victorian terrace property, into a five-bed HMO are set to be passed tonight (Wednesday, October 4) at a planning committee meeting at The Guildhall.

A West Northants Council (WNC) planning officer explained the reason for recommending the plans for approval.

The planning officer said: “The site is located in an established residential street where residential uses are prevalent meaning that the principle of conversion is considered acceptable. In addition, the site would not result in an over concentration of similar uses, would not

lead to significant parking concerns, has an acceptable effect on residential amenity and would preserve the appearance and character of the Billing Road conservation area.”

However, residents have objected in their droves to stop the beautiful townhouse in the Billing Road Conservation Area to be ‘architecturally destroyed’.

Labour councillor Zoe Smith (Abington and Phippsville ward) said: “The property is located within a conservation area, would irreversibly damage a listed building and would have a detrimental impact on the residential amenity in the area.”

One resident said: “This application is from a London-based property developer who has no interest in preserving the architectural integrity of this historic terrace. Evidence is clear that allowing an HMO at No73 will destroy the architectural integrity of a historically important terrace, comprising the aim of the Conservation Area, attract more traffic and parking problems to an already over-burdened area and adversely impact the environment and residential amenity of the area.”

Another said: “This is one of the very few remaining late Victorian terraces in the town. And the residents have over many years worked hard to retain the character of this admired terrace.”

According to planning papers, the original submission was for a proposed eight person HMO but following negotiations with the applicant, Nik Kumar, this has been reduced to five people.

One resident said: “Simply reducing the number to five rooms does not change the fact that it is still an HMO with exactly the same objections. To change the property into a HMO will destroy the characteristics of the property and spoil the adjacent buildings.”

If the plans are passed tonight, many residents feel that it could set a precedent going forward to allow similar proposals to be approved.