Copnor family home to become seven-bedroom HMO after council approval
Portsmouth City Council has approved plans to turn a family home in Copnor into a large house in multiple occupation (HMO), despite objections from neighbours and a councillor.
The application was for 261 Powerscourt Road for the change the use from a house to an eight-person, seven-bedroom HMO.
Because of the level of opposition, the application was brought before the council’s planning committee. A total of 13 objections were received, all opposing the scheme.
Objectors raised concerns about the number of HMOs already in the street and surrounding area, the impact on parking, and how waste would be managed.
Among those raising concerns was Councillor Benedict Swann, who also questioned whether the neighbouring property at No. 263 Powerscourt Road is already operating as an HMO.
The two-storey mid-terrace house sits on the northern side of Powerscourt Road, set back from the street with a small front forecourt and a private rear garden.
It is around 315 metres from the Copnor Road local centre, which offers shops, services, employment opportunities and public transport.
Plans showed the property would be laid out over three floors. The ground floor would contain two bedrooms, one single and one double, both with their own en-suite bathrooms, along with a shared communal living area.
The first floor would have three single bedrooms, each with an en-suite, and the second floor would include two further single en-suite bedrooms.
During the meeting, councillors questioned the proposed bike storage, which would be located in the back garden and would require residents to take their bicycles through most of the ground floor of the house.
Planning officers advised councillors that any inconvenience caused by moving bikes through the property could not be used as a reason to refuse the application.
Cllr Chris Atwell said he would vote against the proposal, as the application fell short of its parking standards by half a parking space.
However, Cllr Judith Smythe proposed approving the application, saying it appeared to be “well designed” and adding that it was unlikely all seven residents would be using bicycles.