Inspector approves HMO plan after council refusal

West Northamptonshire Council's planning committee had voted to turn down plans to expand an existing HMO in Ivy Road

Plans to extend a house in multiple occupation (HMO) have been approved on appeal.

The proposal concerned 4 Ivy Road in Abington, Northampton, where the owner wanted to increase the number of occupants from six to seven.

Planning officers at West Northamptonshire Council had recommended the scheme for approval. But after an August committee meeting raised concerns over noise, parking and litter, members voted to refuse it.

However, the applicant, Mr V Kryshinets, appealed to the government's Planning Inspectorate, which has now overturned the council's decision.

At the August meeting, a local authority officer told councillors it would be difficult to argue that adding one bedroom would significantly affect parking or local amenities, saying he was "not convinced we can make a case for it" if the decision went to appeal.

Reform UK councillor David Gaskell warned the committee was being "held over a barrel by planning" and described the property as "overdeveloped".

The plans were refused, with four votes against and five members abstaining, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

But following the appeal, the planning inspector found the plan met policy requirements for HMOs.

"The appeal property is already in use as a six-bedroom HMO, and what is proposed would add only one bedroom to this," the planning inspector said.

He added there was "no substantive evidence" the expansion would lead to more litter, and that any rise in traffic or activity from one extra room would not affect road safety.

According to conditions set out in the appeal, the development must begin no later than three years from the date of the decision and the HMO should not be occupied by more than seven residents at any one time.