We’re delighted to have secured planning permission at appeal for clients in West Northamptonshire and Luton.
The West Northamptonshire appeal related to a front and side extension for additional ground floor ancillary accommodation for a disabled resident. The LPA drew the conclusion that it was a self-contained annexe, and tantamount to a new dwelling. It clearly wasn’t a new dwelling, and we were able to convince the Inspector of this. The decision was very short indeed, at 1.5 pages and 6 paragraphs. (LPA ref: 2024/1699/FULL / PINS ref: 3347944)
The Luton appeal was to add an additional en-suite room to an existing C4 HMO, thus making it a 7-bed, Sui Generis HMO. No changes were proposed to the building or site layout. The LPA had refused on the basis of an additional 1 person creating a harmful impact upon residential amenity, and “significantly” altering the character of the area. The refusal was also incorrect on the basis of the en-suite room being a self-contained flat, which it was not.
We drew attention to the LPA’s positively worded HMO policy and were able to convince the Inspector that the proposals were not for a self-contained flat, and were acceptable in planning terms. In granting permission, the Inspector also dismissed two of the LPA’s proposed conditions as being unnecessary. (LPA Ref: 24/00168/COU / PINS Ref: 3349842)
It is frustrating for the clients that that the appeals were necessary at all, and that they have delayed implementation by 12 months. In the HMO case Luton are not the first LPA to exaggerate amenity impact concerns without providing substantive evidence. Neighbouring Bedford took the same approach on another HMO appeal of ours last year, of similar scale. That appeal succeeded as well. (LPA Ref: 23/01267/COU / PINS Ref: 3337712)
