Planners agree with residents and reject Oswestry nine-bed HMO proposal
A hugely controversial plan to turn a residential property in Oswestry into a nine-bed house of multiple occupancy has been rejected.
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More than 210 people signed a petition against the plans for the house in Hawthorne Grove and it also attracted 27 written objections from locals to Shropshire Council.
One letter of support said it would provide more affordable accommodation for young, single people in Oswestry.
Planning officers at Shropshire Council agreed that it would provide low cost housing for couples and single persons “within a sustainable location”.
But overall they said that changing the end-of-terrace house would result in “over intensification of the site which is in an area consisting of traditional family dwellings".
Residents had raised objections because of a ‘lack of parking’ in the area, and fears over public safety.
Officials agreed that the proposal would “unacceptably impact upon the amenity for both proposed occupants and existing neighbouring residents.
“The introduction of an HMO in this location is likely to result in increased noise and disturbance, adversely affecting the residential amenity of neighbouring properties as a result of the general coming of goings as occupiers carry out their day to day activities such as work, shopping and socializing,” said planners in their assessment.
“Whilst these activities would still occur in and around a house occupied as a family dwelling it would be to a lesser extent and commensurate with the housing estate setting.”
Planners noted that they had not received an opinion from Oswestry Town Council at the time of writing their report.
Applicant Mr Harpreet Dhaliwa of Wolverhampton-based Solutions R Us Ltd has been told that if he is aggrieved by the decision he can appeal to the Secretary of State.
