Controversial West Midlands B&B plan set for fresh council decision

Plans for a bed and breakfast in a Birmingham suburb are to be considered again despite previously failing to win over councillors.

A planning application for a site at The Green in Kings Norton was seeking permission for a change of use to a nine- room ‘B&B facility’ with a café.

It wanted to make an number of ‘internal alterations’ to create additional bedrooms while the rest of the ground floor was proposed to have remained part of the existing café – Molly’s Café.

But the B&B plans have prompted concerned responses, with Birmingham Northfield MP Laurence Turner saying he was worried about the possible impact on parking in the area.

Issues were also raised at a planning committee meeting last month, with Cllr Gareth Moore saying: “In some ways, this could be fine and not cause any issues but I do know we do have problems with some poor quality B&B accommodation.

“I do share concerns with residents that if this was approved, there could be substantial disruption in the local area as a result of potentially a lot of people being crammed in as a result of the housing crisis we’re facing.”

Cllr Martin Smith, who represents the Kings Norton North ward, meanwhile said a number of residents and local businesses were concerned that this development would be “used as a HMO or supported exempt accommodation type property” in the future.

But he did acknowledge that the applicant had told him it “would not be, and never will be, used for multi-occupancy residency”.

Cllr Duncan Ali raised another concern at the time, saying the area around The Green currently suffers from “parking chaos quite regularly”.

Despite a report saying the B&B would have a “positive impact” on the visitor economy, the committee ultimately voted to refuse the proposals amid factors such as “impact on residential amenity for the future occupiers” and “highways concerns”.

In a new update, a council officer addressed the issues raised in the meeting, saying that national policies state that development “should only be refused on highways grounds if the adverse impact on the transport network would be severe”.

“Given the low number of trips and vehicles associated with the proposed use, in the context of existing parking provision, it is not considered that the proposal meets this threshold of severe impact,” they continued.

They added that even if parking demand is displaced onto the street, customers are “unlikely to be able to park dangerously” due to an existing Traffic Regulation Order in the area.

The council officer also addressed concerns over residential amenity, saying: “It was found that as there are only limited external changes to the rear of the

property, that would not be detrimental to surrounding residential properties.

“The ground floor front shop area would remain in existing use as a café and

there was no objection from Environmental Protection with regards to the

proposed introduction of a bed and breakfast to sustain a reason for refusal on grounds of adverse noise, air quality or contamination impacts.

“Further, there are no minimum space standards for bed and breakfast rooms,

nor are there any outdoor private amenity space requirements.

“Therefore, there are no identifiable reasons for refusal with regards to impact upon potential future occupiers.”

The officer concluded: “Taking all of the above issues together, there are no material considerations that would suggest refusing the application.”

They went on to recommended the proposals be approved ahead of a meeting next Thursday, September 10, and a reason for refusal if the committee don’t agree with the officer’s points.

‘No guarantee can be made on future use’

A previous council report addressed concerns from a “number of third-parties” that the application site would be used as a HMO or temporary accommodation rather than a B&B.

“The applicant was approached for comment and has stated that the proposed use is intended to operate as short-stay accommodation, similar in nature to a small hotel, with structured check-in and check-out times and with active on-site management,” an officer wrote.

“It is noted that the proposed layout is more indicative of a bed and breakfast than temporary accommodation.

“In particular, the need to pass through the café to get to all first-floor rooms would not be conducive to a HMO or temporary housing use.

“No evidence has been submitted to contradict the applicant’s version of events.”

They added that a further planning application would be required to change the site’s use to a HMO or temporary accommodation.

Cllr Martin Brooks, chair of the planning committee, also said last month that conditions could be put on if the plans were approved and added: “No guarantee can be made on any building as to what the future use of something might be.

“As a planning committee, we can only consider the application that’s before us.”

The report also addressed anxieties over parking, saying the proposed use would require five spaces while four are illustrated on the submitted plans.

“Even if parking demand is displaced onto the street, customers are unlikely to park illegally due to the length of overnight parking stay,” it said. “It is noted that check-in time would be from 3pm, after which parking pressure on The Green eases with the closure of daytime businesses.

“Check out will be at 10am, ensuring any limited overlap in parking demand would be short-lived and manageable.”