Northampton HMO plans approved despite fears area is ‘well beyond car capacity’
Plans to extend a family home in Northampton and convert it into a six-person HMO have been approved despite concerns that parking in the area is already at breaking point.
Applicant VK Property Stream has been granted permission by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to convert 1 Derby Road into a house in multiple occupation and build a single-storey rear and side extension.
The application was considered by WNC’s non-strategic planning committee on June 4 after attracting six objections from residents and Northampton Town Council. A local councillor called in the plans over concerns about overdevelopment and existing parking pressures.
Planning officers, Northamptonshire Police and WNC highways officers all acknowledged that parking in the area is already under strain. Police said concerns are regularly raised with neighbourhood officers.
However, planning officers explained that planning policy does not require on-site parking in locations considered sustainable. The property is around 125 metres from a bus stop serving Northampton town centre and about 65 metres from the Kettering Road local centre.
Speaking against the plans, Councillor Zoe Smith said Derby Road was already “well beyond car capacity” and highlighted issues including speeding, littering and fly-tipping.
She told the committee: “Cars park on the corner everywhere in that area and, as a parent, I have pushed buggies out blind into roads with absolutely no choice about it because there’s no visibility.
“The reality of it as a ‘highly sustainable location’ does not match up.”
Committee members were also told there are six active HMOs within a 50-metre radius of the site. This represents 8.86 per cent of nearby properties, just below WNC’s 10 per cent threshold designed to prevent an overconcentration of HMOs.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, agent Pat Dooley said the site was within easy walking distance of shops, bus stops, restaurants and employment opportunities, making it an appropriate location for the accommodation.
Councillors echoed concerns about parking and overdevelopment but concluded there were no planning grounds on which to refuse the application.
The plans were approved by four votes to three, with one abstention.