Police fear Dudley bedsits will be crime magnet

West Midlands Police was consulted on plans for the vacant Beech Tree House care home on Himley Road, Dudley, being turned into a 22-bed house for multiple occupants, or HMO.

Crime prevention design advisor, Pc Simon Barrett, said: "Experience tells us that developments of this type tend to become crime hot spots or crime magnets.

"I have great concerns about this type of development and the increasing number of applications being approved, as have my colleagues who work on the neighbourhood beat team areas, as they can create a huge drain on ever decreasing police resources."

He is concerned about the potential tenants, saying: "At present if unlicensed, an HMO can provide accommodation for any category of society such as individuals, families, offenders, sex offenders, people with mental and learning issues."

An HMO requires a licence if it is three or more storeys, but this development being only two storeys would not automatically require a licence.

"Without any compulsory background checks on the management and residents I fear that this type of development does not provide a safe environment for some elements of society," said Pc Barrett.

The police's comments are referred to in the planning officer's report which will be presented to members of Dudley's development control committee before they make their decision on August 9.

Yet this report states: "Issues raised by West Midlands Police are not material planning considerations and make assumptions with regards to the future occupiers of the property which are not for assessment or consideration within the planning process."

It also states that recommendations put forward by Pc Barrett, including a strict vetting procedure for tenants, cannot be added as conditions to the application because 'they fall wholly outside the planning remit'.

The application has also received objections in relation to parking from both police and Himley Road residents, including Atif Rauf, who said: "Currently all residents struggle with parking their vehicles outside of their properties and have to park their vehicles further away from our homes and out of sight, increasing risk of vandalism."

In response to this, the applicant submitted a revised plan with a 16-space car park.