Controversial Smethwick HMO plans recommended for approval
A plan to build a new HMO in Smethwick's High Street should be approved, according to a recommendation from planners.
The move to open the 11-bed house of multiple occupation (HMO) above Viney’s Opticians in Smethwick High Street was scaled down from a 20-bed HMO plan submitted earlier this year.
The original move angered residents in Victoria Avenue, a small row of houses behind the Smethwick shops, when it was submitted in March who said it would make “everything 100 times worse.”
The council had called the 20-bed HMO “out of scale” and “over-intensive” which led to the plans being scaled down.
Despite the reduction in size, the prospective HMO plans attracted similar objections from neighbours.
A report by Sandwell Council’s planning officers has recommended the application by Quinton-based Pritam Singh Gill from We Want Any Homes should be approved.
Sandwell Council’s planning committee meets on November 26 to make a decision.
The report by Sandwell Council said: “The amended development would not result in any significant loss of privacy or light to neighbouring properties, due to its orientation and revised design.
“The previously proposed second-floor extension, dormer windows, and two-storey side extension have all been removed from the current application.
“The proposal has been significantly amended and reduced in scale and design from the original proposal which was seeking approval of an out of scale and over intensive proposal.”
The council said the original 20-bed HMO application received several objections which were repeated when the plan was scaled down and put to the public again.
After the planning application was submitted in March, several objections were made with neighbours saying they already suffered from the lack of parking spaces and rats and other vermin from constant fly-tipping which the HMO would make “100 times worse.”
The objector told Sandwell Council: “The council must not accept this application for an HMO on the parking situation alone.
“If we the residents are having issues already with the existing shops and flats on rats, parking, fly tipping, can you imagine the situation when a 20 room HMO is slapped in the middle?”
Another objector added: “If the HMO goes ahead, they will mostly likely be using our residential parking to park their cars and as residents we will have to park outside which is not fair because these bays are for Midland Heart residents and we have disabled residents and small children we will not be able to cope with this will affect all residents.
“The narrow alleyway where the HMO will be will get more congested because there are delivery vans congesting it already and an HMO will make matters worse.”
