Permission granted for 19-person Northampton HMO after appeal

The government allowed the planning application at a house on Holly Road

Permission to boost the number of residents allowed to live in a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Northampton has been approved.

The home on Holly Road hosts a maximum of nine people in nine bedrooms, but plans were submitted for 11 bedrooms and a capacity increase to 19 people.

The local council refused, but the government's Planning Inspectorate allowed the appeal.

It said it was "satisfied" there would be "no material harm" to neighbours.

Blueprints submitted in the planning application showed the basement would form an open-plan kitchen space for tenants.

The ground and first floor would have seven double bedrooms fit for two occupants each, and a self-contained bedsit with its own kitchen area.

The top floor would add a further three bedrooms suitable for one tenant each and another small kitchen and dining area. All rooms would have en-suite bathrooms.

Officers at West Northamptonshire Council refused the application last June, stating that the number of comings and goings and noise from 19 people in one property would cause a "significant increase in disturbance" to neighbours.

However, the Planning Inspectorate wrote: "The appeal building in this instance is already a HMO and neighbouring occupiers would likely be accustomed to activity associated with that use.

"I am satisfied that there would be no material harm to the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers in this particular instance."

The planning watchdog added there was "no objective evidence" that the home would lead to an overconcentration of HMOs in the area or that it would increase levels of deprivation.