HMO plans blocked amid 'overconcentration' fears

Plans for a six-bedroom shared house have been blocked due to concern over the "overconcentration" of multiple-occupation properties in the area.

Sunderland City Council's planning committee said if the proposal to convert floors above the MH Market in Roker Avenue went ahead there would be eight houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) within 100m of the site.

Applicants Halo's Luxury Homes & Architecture Vision Ltd had argued the scheme would "meet the needs of people who require flexible housing close to employment and education".

But there were 13 public objections about the number of local HMOs, lack of parking, noise and privacy impacts and antisocial behaviour, and planners turned it down.

The HMO was expected to provide five double rooms and one single room, allowing a maximum of 11 occupants, and planning documents said work had been started but not completed.

Documents said that had transformed the "neglected building" into a "safe, attractive and energy-efficient building", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Although council officers raised no issues with room sizes and highway and pedestrian safety, they said the HMO plan was "unacceptable in principle" as it would be "harmful to the character and amenities of the area".

The applicant has the right of appeal.

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