PLANS to develop a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in a Welsh town have been rejected after backlash from local residents.
The plans to turn a residential property close to Neath town centre into a HMO were rejected by Neath Port Talbot Council at a planning meeting with more than a dozen residents in attendance.
If approved they would have seen a four-bedroom property in Ena Avenue turned into a shared property for six people with internal alterations and the construction of a rear dormer extension.
The proposed works would have also included the provision of bike and bin storage areas within an existing garage structure.
However locals said they opposed the development with 84 people submitting representations of objection and an additional letter from Neath MS Jeremy Miles who urged the committee to consider the issues raised.
These focused on pressures that could be put on an already chaotic situation with parking in the street along with the potential for increased noise from the property and a loss of character in the area.
Others feared a reduction in the availability of family homes, an over-intensification of HMOs, risks of increased antisocial behaviour, and exacerbated waste management issues.
Neath Town Council said they “vehemently” objected to the development that would “severely impact this locality, the neighbourhood, and its community relationships and harmony residents have with each other”.
Cllr Alan Lockyer said he asked for the application to be brought to the committee for discussions after a number of residents had reached out to him.
Speaking at the meeting officers said they recommended the application for approval as they felt it was an appropriate form of development that would have no unacceptable impact on the amenities of the area.
They added that when it came to over-intensification the site would not result in more than 10% of the properties within a 50m radius being HMOs, which is considered as a ‘tipping point’ to where they can have an impact on the character and balance of a community.
Following discussions which lasted for over an hour and saw representatives speaking on behalf of both residents and the applicant the proposal was rejected by a vote of four members to two with three abstentions.
This was on the basis that it would result in unacceptable impacts to highway and pedestrian safety due to a lack of off-street car parking with additional impacts on the residential amenity and character of the area.
Following the meeting one resident said: “The plans were not right for this street and I’m glad that a lot of councillors have supported us.”
