Home of a ‘meals on wheels’ service to be converted into an eight-bed HMO
The former home of a ‘meals on wheels’ service is set to be converted into an eight-bed HMO after plans were given the green light.
The ground floor of 110 Gosport Road has been empty for several years, with remnants of Premier Meals still in place.
Meanwhile, the first floor of the building – a four-bed HMO (house in multiple occupation) – has been unoccupied.
Planning officer Lucy Knight told members of Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee that “it is not the most attractive site at the moment”.
She explained that under the proposals, the existing single-storey rear extension will be demolished and rebuilt, with a part first-floor extension added at the back of the property.
The roof will also be removed and replaced with a new second floor, creating a communal living room and amenity space.
A total of eight-bedrooms would be created to serve nine people.
However, there will only be two on-site parking spaces.
One of the objections submitted to the council said the street already suffers from “extremely limited parking”.
“A nine-bed HMO is likely to introduce a substantial number of additional vehicles, far beyond what the street can safely accommodate”, the commenter added.
Meanwhile, another objector said the increase in traffic on an “already busy street” would not just be an inconvenience, but a “safety concern for children”.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, James Porter said the two parking spaces, bicycle storage and storage at the front of the property provide “an acceptable balance”.
He also told members that the proposal “brings the building back into use”, adding that it is a “sustainable location” due to nearby amenities.
He said: “There have been concerns raised regarding anti-social behaviour, and there’s no evidence that the proposal would give rise to such behaviour.”
But Cllr Joanne Burton, Conservative for Sarisbury and Whiteley, questioned the lack of parking.
She said: “It is a real concern.
“I think this is going to cause loads of problems further down the road for the neighbours.”
Cllr Ian Bastable, Conservative for Park Gate and vice chair of the meeting, said the proposals are “significantly better” than the existing site, and said he was in favour of the changes.
The plans were unanimously approved.