Hundreds sign petition against Pleck HMO conversion
A petition against a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Pleck has been signed by more than 800 people.
Plans to convert a four-bedroom home on Madison Avenue into a five-bedroom HMO were submitted earlier this year to Walsall Council.
The application came under a Lawful Development Certificate, which is issued when works do not require planning permission.
Walsall Council granted the certificate in May, which neighbours have fiercely opposed.
Residents John and Patricia White launched a petition over fears the conversion will have a negative impact on the community.
John, 67, said the new use will cause issues with parking, access and criminality.
The plans, submitted by applicant Siman Singh, state that the home will be used as rental accommodation for nurses at nearby Manor Hospital.
But the Whites said nurses’ wages should be considered high enough not to live in an HMO.
John said: “We don’t want the plans to go ahead at all, it will lead to increased criminality in the area, and drug abuse tends to follow these places.”
Other residents speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service have echoed John and Patricia’s concerns.
Dave Baker, a 78-year-old Crimestoppers volunteer and retired police officer, said: “I know that crime is rife everywhere, but from knowledge and experience, this is not the place for HMOs.”
Mum-of-one Tracey Antill said: “It’s not welcome here and we don’t want it. I’ve got a little boy and the world’s a horrible place as it is without having that on your doorstep. There’s no parking, there’s no room and it’s not wanted.”
Neighbour Samantha Simpson, 50, added: “We are close to four schools, ranging from three years old up until 16, and a lot of the children walk to and from school on their own.
“HMOs have unsavoury people put in there and with being so close to the schools it doesn’t bear thinking about. That’s our biggest worry.”
Craig Baldwin, 55, said: “It can’t go ahead. Not at all. Traffic is a problem. John told me about the plans and I signed the petition straight away. We want it to be kept as it is.”
Because of the petition, John will have the opportunity to present his case before a committee at Walsall Council.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “Lawful Development Certificates are issued by the Local Planning Authority when works are considered to not require planning permission.
“An application for a Lawful Development Certificate was submitted for 4 Madison Avenue and granted on 9 May 2025.
“This application included the use of the property as a house of multiple occupation, with four bedrooms including the conversion of the garage to form the fourth bedroom, and the conversion of the loft to provide a bathroom.
“The Local Planning Authority can take formal enforcement action against developments that breach planning rules but cannot act against developments that are allowed under national legislation.”
