Plans for controversial housing on Stanhope Road narrowly approved by councillors
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee, at a meeting this week, approved an application for 302 and 304 Stanhope Road in the South Shields area.
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Hide AdPlans from Beaumont and Partners Ltd aimed to change the use of the pair of flats to an “eight-person large HMO” with a range of works to the buildings.
This included the conversion of loft space, the addition of one dormer window to the rear and three rooflights to the front, as well as an alteration to an existing door on the south west elevation as part of the conversion.
It was noted that the HMO would host two bedrooms at ground floor level with a shared kitchen and living area, four bedrooms on the first floor and two bedrooms in the proposed loft conversion, with seven bedrooms having ensuites and one bedroom having a separate bathroom.
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Hide AdDuring a council consultation exercise on the plans, there was a petition in objection with 39 addresses, and a further nine objections.
Objectors raised concerns about the “loss of two smaller family homes”, “insufficient parking”, increased traffic and congestion and concerns about the background of tenants, “overcrowding” and noise.
Concerns were also raised during the council consultation by Biddick and All Saints ward councillor, Rachael Taylor, and Jarrow’s constituency MP.
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Hide AdThe application was formally considered by South Tyneside Council’s decision-making Planning Committee on Monday, June 17, 2024.
Council planning officers recommended the application for approval and said the rooms met space standards and that the site was in a sustainable area close to public transport links.
Despite concerns from the council’s community safety officer about “disproportionately high” levels of crime and anti-social behaviour in the Stanhope Road area, council planners said there was no evidence that the statistics were linked to existing HMOs.
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Hide AdA council report confirmed there would be management processes in place at the proposed HMO on Stanhope Road, from maintenance and cleaning to regular inspections and a requirement for “full references” from prospective tenants.
It was also noted that the two flats could be converted into a six-bedroom HMO without planning permission under ‘permitted development’ rights, and that this should be considered by councillors as the applicant’s ‘fallback position’.
During discussion of the application, several questions were raised about the proposals for the Stanhope Road site, including the conversion and wider community impacts.
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Hide AdSome councillors welcomed controls limiting the development to no more than eight people, however some said the property’s tenants would still attract visitors.
Councillor Eileen Leask said she was concerned about crime statistics for the area, while councillor David Kennedy and councillor Paul Brenen raised concerns about parking issues.
This included more cars parking in the area and potential pressures to introduce a parking permit scheme in future, as well as wider impacts on a local doctor’s surgery.
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Hide AdCouncillor Shirley Ford said the way the conversion was planned was “not suitable or appropriate” in terms of room sizes and design and that it was “cramming in a high density of individual people”.
Councillor Sarah McKeown also asked the committee to consider whether the proposed development was “serving the community or our housing needs sufficiently” and whether benefits outweighed residents’ concerns.
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Hide AdAfter the HMO plans were put to the vote, the Planning Committee was initially tied with six votes in favour of approval and six votes to refuse.
Councillor Stephen Dean used his casting vote as chair of the Planning Committee to tip the balance to seven votes in favour and six against.
Under planning conditions, proposals for the eight-person HMO must be brought forward within three years.
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