Councillors lock horns over planning bid to create HMO in former security system shop in Waterlooville
An application for a 12-bed HMO left councillors butting heads during a council meeting.
Members of the planning committee at Havant Borough Council approved proposals to transform an old shop into flats and an HMO – but not before clashing over the plans.
Developers applied to turn the former Christie Intruder Alarms store in London Road, Waterlooville, into a mixed-use development earlier this year.
The site, which is currently vacant, will now be home to one commercial unit, eight one-bedroom flats, and a 12-bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO).
But during a deputation to committee members on April 9, Cllr Gwen Robinson branded the proposal as “inappropriate”, adding that “it brings no enhancement to Waterlooville”.
The Reform councillor for the Waterloo ward, who is a planning committee member but declared an interest due to her opposition so did not vote on the matter, said she feared an HMO would increase crime in the area.
She added: “In the report, an unsubstantiated claim has been made that the inhabitants will be young professionals.
“According to Shelter, HMOs can be occupied by a variety of people. For example, young professionals, non-professionals, and casual or migrant workers. A Waterlooville police sergeant I spoke to was very clear that HMOs do increase police callouts.”
But Cllr Jonathan Hulls, Green ward member for Hayling West, said: “A lot of what you have said is not material planning reasons, it’s just ‘this could happen in the future if this sort of person is in the HMO’.
“It is like you’re trying to paint a picture of what this could be, which does not come across in the documents.”
He added: “A lot of what I am hearing is your personal view on an HMO. I know you are relatively new to the planning committee, but we are bound by a set of rules. It seems to be a personal opinion rather than a planning reason that you are raising all of these things.”
Cllr Robinson said that everything included in her deputation was based on existing case studies.
“Fear of crime is a material consideration,” she added.
Daryn Brewer, founder of HMO company Pro Pods, which is behind the application, said the business has “created something positive, not negative”.
He said: “I manage 350 rooms and have done for several years, and I can probably count on one hand how many times I have been called to a property by a police officer. That crime was not created by the tenants. The type of tenants we house are professional tenants.”
The application was approved by councillors.