Plans submitted for 10-bedroom house in multiple occupation in South Shields street

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received an application for 3 Dean Terrace in the town’s Simonside and Rekendyke ward.

New plans aim to convert the property from a ‘dwelling house’ to a HMO offering 10 bedrooms.

A house in multiple occupation is a property type where multiple households typically live in individual bedrooms and share some communal facilities.

This can include communal kitchen areas, communal living space and in some cases, communal bathroom facilities.

Proposed floor plans for 3 Dean Terrace show how the building would be subdivided if the HMO use was approved.

This includes a mixture of bedrooms with en-suite facilities and ‘bedsits’,  which include living, cooking and sanitary facilities, over four levels.

The whole development from applicant Scott-James Properties Ltd, if approved, would provide 10 bedrooms, including seven bedsits.

In addition, the ground floor would include a communal kitchen and external yard with a ‘turfed amenity area’ and bin and cycle storage.

A design and access statement submitted with the plans states the “current site is a vacant dwelling house with five bedrooms and is spread across four floors, including the basement and an existing loft conversion”.

Those behind the scheme said the “proposed use is as a 10-bedroom HMO, where seven of the 10 rooms are bedsits that have their own sleeping, living, cooking and sanitary facilities”.

The design and access statement adds: “All rooms have access to the shared kitchen located on the ground floor, predominantly to be used by the three bedrooms that do not have their own cooking facilities.

“All rooms are adequately sized and will provide the occupants with a satisfactory standard of living.

Click here to get the Gazette’s headlines delivered to your inbox with our free email newsletters

“The existing yard area is being reserved partially for the storage of bins and bicycles, the yard is of a good size and can also be utilised as an amenity space for the residents”.

It was also noted that “all rooms have their own en-suites” and that a “car-free development is appropriate in this location”, due to the “site being located in an economical position in terms of access to public transport”.

The design and access statement continues: “It is believed that introducing a HMO at this site will not result in an over-concentration of HMOs in the surrounding area.

“The HMO would help meet the housing needs of those requiring lower-cost accommodation, which may not be met by smaller terraced houses or apartments due to differences in rental values.

“Therefore, the proposal to redevelop the site to provide a 10-bed HMO is considered a positive addition to the area, providing living space for those in need of lower-cost accommodation”.

A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

For more information on the planning application or to track its progress, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0385/24/FUL.