Plans submitted for eight-bedroom house of multiple occupation in Hemel Hempstead

Adam Nicholas Shute has applied to Dacorum Borough Council for permission to change the use of the property and to convert its loft space into living space.

If the plans are approved, there would be four single-occupancy bedrooms on the ground floor, three on the first floor, and one in the loft. All bedrooms would have an en-suite shower room, and there would also be a communal kitchen and dining room.

HMOs of up to six single-occupancy bedrooms can be created without requiring planning permission, but consent is needed for larger HMOs.

At the time of writing, the plans have received 16 objections from residents in the area, raising concerns about parking problems and the effect of an HMO on the character of the street.

One resident said: “Putting eight people into a house will make the landlord richer, but won’t be good for the locality.”

The proposed HMO would include two off-street parking spaces, below the four that would usually be expected for an eight-bedroom HMO.

But documents submitted as part of the application state that the council has previously granted permission for HMOs with fewer spaces than expected.

The documents add: “The front garden … could physically accommodate up to one parking space per bedroom. However, additional hardstanding would result in a cluttered and car-dominated frontage, harmful to the character of the host dwelling and the street scene.

“Limiting provision to two spaces retains a landscaped frontage and, together with cycle storage and electric vehicle charging, supports sustainable travel.”