Majority of HMO plans were recently approved by Portsmouth planners

A string of HMO applications have been approved across Portsmouth despite objections from residents and concerns from councillors over parking, space and the loss of family homes.

Members of Portsmouth City Council’s planning committee raised concerns about the standard of accommodation and pressure on family housing.

However, the majority of applications were approved after members found there were no planning grounds to refuse them.

Plans to convert 49 Chichester Road, a house in North End, into a seven-person HMO were approved.

Fifteen members of the public objected to the plans, which were called in by Councillor Richard Adair, who raised concerns about parking and the loss of family homes.

Cllr Lee Hunt agreed, raising concerns about inadequate space. He said the “cause of the problem” with the city’s housing demand and pressure was “since Mrs Thatcher sold off all of the council housing”.

Cllr Peter Candlish, while acknowledging the concerns, said he could not find “anything in planning law” that would be a material reason for refusal.

The plans were approved with five votes in favour, three against and one abstention.

Plans to convert a house at 39 Winchcombe Road into an eight-bedroom HMO were also approved, despite 13 objections to the scheme.

Cllr Joe Stander moved to refuse the application on the basis that one bedroom was on a split level, with each level falling below the space standards if they were considered separate bedrooms.

Cllr Hugh Mason acknowledged the concern but doubted that the room represented a “poor standard of living”.

Cllr Mary Vallely said the committee should “get in the head of people who are looking for somewhere to live and this is perfectly adequate”.It was approved with five votes in favour and three against.

At 135 Laburnham Grove, there were plans to change two flats in either a house or an HMO.

Eight members of the public objected to the scheme over the principle of the development and the standard of accommodation.

Cllr Cordy clarified that the proposed works would result in a net loss of homes, but officers noted that there was no policy in place to refuse the application on that basis.

Despite the concerns, Cllr Mason said the proposal would make a “good family home” or HMO with well-sized bedrooms and communal spaces, describing it as a “very good place to live”.

It was voted through with four votes in favour, three against and one abstention.

A flat at 8 Stafford Road in Southsea also received six objections to plans to turn it into a four-bedroom HMO.

Cllr Carl Inman raised concerns over the lack of garden, parking and bicycle spaces and proposed refusing the application on that basis.

Local ward Cllr Denise Perry said she “would like to object to it” but could not “see any legal planning reasons why”.

It was voted through with four votes in favour and three against.

At 140b Lake Road, plans to change the use of an upper-floor flat into a five-bedroom HMO were refused. There were seven objections to the scheme.

Cllr Peter Candlish took issue with one of the bedrooms being inadequate because of its configuration and lack of natural light.

The application was refused unanimously.

At 92 Kings Road, plans to change a house into a modest three-bedroom HMO were approved on the basis that it met all the council’s requirements.