‘Turning into a ghetto’: Plan to increase size of HMO approved despite residents’ concerns
Plans to extend a shared house to include an extra bedroom have been approved despite almost 50 objections.
Those opposed to proposals for the house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in Normanton said the town was “suffering” due to a rise in the number of similar properties in the town.
Wakefield Council gave the green light to the scheme, which involves increasing the number of occupants of the property on Church Lane from six to seven.
A total of 47 people objected to the application, with many claiming a concentration of HMOs in the area was adding to anti-social behaviour problems.
One resident said: “The area is already experiencing a significant concentration of HMOs, which is contributing to a range of issues.
“Increasing the number of occupants at this property would exacerbate the cumulative impact, placing further strain on local services and infrastructure.”
Another said: “The town is suffering from a large number of business burglaries that are related to the increase in HMOs in Normanton.
“Please build some proper decent social housing for families who seriously need them.
“They cause a general downturn in community cohesion.”
A third objector commented: “We were once a market town (with) great, friendly people. You’re turning it into a ghetto.”
A planning officer’s report accepted there was some “clustering” of HMOs in Normanton but said the development was acceptable.
The officer said: “The proposed development would not result in any increase in the concentration of HMOs within the immediate locality.
“The existing site is already in use as a HMO and the scale of change proposed, moving from a six-bed HMO to a seven-bed HMO, would have a negligible impact on the overall character of the area.
“There would therefore be no grounds for refusal of the proposed scheme on this basis.”
Applications for HMOs in the town have proved controversial in recent months.
In March, plans for a shared house next to the Black Swan pub, on Castleford Road, were rejected after more than 1,000 people objected.
Opponents said the town had become “saturated” with HMOs, leading to a “change in the character of the neighbourhood.”
A report at the time said there were currently 21 registered HMOs in the area, “with several more unregistered”.