Police oppose plans for 122-bed city centre HMO

Portland Hotel on Paragon Street closed in 2012 but developers want to bring it back into life as a HMO

Police have opposed plans to convert a former hotel into a 122-bed HMO, saying a rapid increase in this type of accommodation could increase violence.

In a letter to Hull City Council, the Humberside force said living in low-quality, crowded accommodation with shared facilities, and little to no choice of cohabitees, could create stresses and insecurities.

Plans submitted in June by applicant Knight Wood Portfolio Limited said the development of the former Portland Hotel, on Paragon Street, would be split across six floors, with "generous kitchen facilities".

The proposals, which remain under consideration, have also been criticised by a number of local councillors.

The applicant said they wanted to "breath new life" into the vacant property and described it as an "eyesore".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the plans also state that each bedroom would be fitted with its own kitchenette area and the building's exterior would get a facelift with refurbished tiling at the lower levels.

The letter from the force's designing out crime officer, Marc Dias, said he had consulted with the local policing team, who wished to register their opposition.

Councillors representing the St Andrews and Docklands ward also raised concerns about the proposals on their local Labour Party Facebook group.

The post said councillors Leanne Fudge, Daren Hale and Haroldo Herrera-Richmond wanted the application to be decided by the council's planning committee and not council officers.

'Not appropriate'

It said Fudge wanted guarantees over the plans to ensure that the current problem is not just replaced by a new one.

The application has also been criticised by the council's urban design officer, Rebecca Clark.

In a letter, which is visible on the authority's planning portal, she states the application "is not supported from a design perspective".

She said: "Whilst this living arrangement may be suitable for students, this housing type in this quantity is not appropriate as a sole and permanent accommodation for non-students".

Ms Clark argues that the plans do "not follow the definition of a HMO" due to the proposed inclusion of kitchen facilities within individual bedrooms.

She added the plans could not be supported in the current state and recommended they were altered to remove the bedroom kitchenettes and to diversify the mix of accommodation on offer.

The BBC has approached Knight Wood Portfolio Limited for comment.

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