Bridgend Council’s Planning Committee has overturned a previous decision to reject a planning application for a 6-bedroom house of multiple occupation (HMO) on Park Street in Bridgend town centre (pdf).
The application to convert the former offices, next door to Beynon’s Dental Surgery, was originally rejected by committee members on April 4th 2024 despite being recommended for approval by planning officers.
Under the council’s rules, any application that’s been recommended for approval by officers and rejected by the committee has to be reconsidered alongside the full reasons for refusal.
The reasons for refusal include, but aren’t limited to:
- It would result in more than 10% of properties within a 50-metre radius being HMOs, which is contrary to the council’s planning policies.
- A lack of parking spaces and pre-existing parking problems in and around Cae Dre Street.
- Increased anti-social behaviour, which is already a problem at that end of Park Street; there’s a more comprehensive account of things here (pdf).
As a counter-argument, planning officers said the application should be approved because:
- The former PS Bar/The Angel – which has been converted to short-term lettings – can’t be counted as an HMO, meaning the 10% limit wouldn’t be exceeded in the immediate area.
- While problems with anti-social behaviour are acknowledged, it can’t be assumed that another HMO in the area would make matters worse.
- There are no parking standards for HMOs, regardless of current issues on Cae Dre Street.
Cllr. Jonathan Pratt (Con, Newton) asked whether there would be a “slam dunk” case if the application was refused again and went to an appeal.
The Committee were told that BCBC would be in a “difficult position” in an appeal, particularly if the plans were rejected on car parking grounds as there hasn’t been enough evidence that it would be a significant issue with this new HMO.
The Planning Committee subsequently voted by 7 to 6 to approve the application.
