Plans resubmitted to turn former NatWest in Cosham into shops and HMOs
Plans to build four Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) above shops on Cosham High Street have been resubmitted after Portsmouth City Council refused a previous application in June.
The scheme, submitted by developers Applecore PDM, proposes bringing the former NatWest at 69–73 High Street back into use with a mixed-use development.
Planning documents describe the project as “ambitious”, with proposals to convert the ground floor into two shops and create a four-bedroom HMO to the rear of the former bank which closed in July 2024.
Two eight-bedroom HMOs are planned for the first and second floors, mirroring each other with balconies overlooking the high street, while a third floor, built with a mansard roof extension, would provide a five-bedroom HMO. In total, the four-storey development would contain 25 bedrooms across four HMOs.
The council refused the earlier plans, citing overlooking concerns, the impact on conservation efforts, and additional strain on local transport infrastructure.
The resubmitted application seeks to address these concerns through revised designs and the potential use of legal agreements to mitigate conservation and transport impacts.
Planning documents argue that while the proposals are not a “typical example” of HMOs, their “unusual nature should be looked upon favourably”, claiming the benefits outweigh any perceived harm and that the scheme would also provide an additional shopfront for Cosham High Street.
Council transport planners have raised no objection but expressed concern about the lack of off-road parking, recommending a contribution of £16,250 towards local transport upgrades such as real-time information boards at bus shelters.
The council also applies a threshold policy for HMOs, allowing no more than 10 per cent of properties within a 50-metre radius to be HMOs. Measurements show the threshold is 8.33 per cent from the front entrance of the proposed development, and 13.15 per cent from the rear.
The application has prompted speculation online about its potential use for housing asylum seekers.
However, Carianne Wells, director of Applecore PDM, has confirmed that the development is not intended for asylum seekers or refugees, adding that the company does not manage any such properties.
Residents can view and comment on the application using the planning reference 25/00799/FUL.