PLANNING REFUSED!
A real life account of what happens next when planning is refused.
Project Broughton: The plan was to transform four existing, tired and in our opinion substandard apartments into a sleek 9-bed professional HMO.
Despite the property not falling into an article 4 area, and with our skilled architect at the helm, the proposal faced a roadblock.
The Clash with Local Character: The proposed HMO, with its potential increase in noise and activity, didn't quite jive with the family-centric vibe of the street, violating Policy H7 of the Local Plan.
Farewell to a Family Dwelling: The development, aiming for a 9-bed HMO, clashed with Policy H10, causing concerns about losing a dwelling they deemed suited for a families.
Impact on Residential Amenity: The expected hustle and bustle of 9 individuals coming and going raised worries about a negative impact on residential amenity, conflicting with both Policies H7 and H10.
In simple terms,
H7 focuses on preserving the primarily residential nature of the area
H10 emphasises the importance of preserving dwellings suitable for family use.
In our push for Project Broughton's approval, we stood firm with the council, emphasising a key detail: all four remaining apartments fell significantly below national Housing Space Standards.
Space Reality Check: Two of the four apartments didn't meet the single-person dwelling standard. The third fell short of National Described Space Standards (NDSS) for a two-person apartment. The fourth, barely meeting the two-person requirement, was set up for three.
Policy Clash: The proposed refusal, rooted in Policy H10, argued the development would lose suitable family dwellings. We countered, asserting that the policy aimed to protect family homes, but our evidence showed none of the apartments met the criteria due to their size. In essence, we debunked the notion that Policy H10 applied, highlighting space inadequacies that made these apartments unsuitable for family living.
After receiving advice from experts and facing the council's stubborn stance, we opted not to pursue an appeals process. Instead, we pivoted to Plan B - transforming the existing worn-out, substandard flats into luxurious, high-end spaces that now meet and exceed National Space Standards.