New HMO plan for Stanhope Road in South Shields approved by councillors

South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee, at a meeting this week, gave the green light to an application for 382 Stanhope Road in South Shields.

Plans from Beaumont and Partners Ltd aimed to change the use of the four-bedroom residential property to a seven-person HMO with a range of works to the building.

This included the construction of a dormer window to the building’s rear roof slope and a single-storey rear extension.

During a council consultation exercise on the plans however, there were public objections from two addresses on Stanhope Road.

Objectors raised concerns about the number and background of occupants and “vetting” of tenants, as well as making comments about potential noise, crime and anti-social behaviour, local parking pressures and waste collection.

The application was formally considered by South Tyneside Council’s decision-making Planning Committee on Monday, July 15, 2024, at South Shields Town Hall.

Council planning officers recommended the application for approval and said the rooms met space standards and that the development was acceptable in planning policy terms.

Despite concerns from the council’s community safety officer about “disproportionately high” levels of crime and anti-social behaviour in the Stanhope Road area, the plans were eventually approved by councillors.

A council report confirmed there would be management processes in place at the proposed HMO, from maintenance and cleaning to “regular inspections” and a “screening” process for prospective tenants.

It was also noted that the residential property could be converted into a six-bed HMO without planning permission under ‘permitted development’ rights as a “fallback position”.

The planning application follows a recent application from the same applicant to convert two properties into a large HMO at another address in Stanhope Road, which was narrowly approved by councillors last month.

At the previous meeting, concerns were raised about the potential overconcentration of HMO properties in the Stanhope Road area and the issue was raised again by councillors this week.

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Councillor David Kennedy said he recognised the applicant provided a “high standard” of HMO development but added he had concerns about the cumulative impact of HMOs in the area in terms of impacts on parking availability and demand.

Councillor Paul Brenen repeated concerns that the development would “compound” parking problems linked to visitors to local health services.

Councillor Kate Owens-Palmer questioned whether the development would have restrictions around “single-occupancy” to avoid the “potential for 14 people to be living in the property”.

Councillor Sarah McKeown also asked how the development would “improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area”, in line with council policies.

Council planners, responding, said the development would “broaden the housing stock in the area” and that the site was in a sustainable location close to local bus and Metro transport links.

It was also noted that a planning condition would be issued to limit the development to a maximum of “seven persons” and that planning policies dealt with the use of the building, rather than future users.

After being put to the vote, the HMO plans were passed by the Planning Committee by a majority vote.

Under planning conditions, proposals for the seven-person HMO must be brought forward within three years.