I hope we now turn a corner on the free for all to date, and it’s rejected by the planning committee.
Official data shows the borough already has almost 400 HMOs, many of which are of a poor standard and contributing to the housing crisis by removing family homes from the market. Is likely now the number is higher with the time that has passed since that assessment, and those not declared to the council.
There will be circumstances where a house share arrangement works for the building being converted, its setting and the occupants, but far too often that isn’t the case.
This isn’t just about bricks and mortar, it’s about creating good homes in stable and secure communities where people feel confident about its future and contribute to its improvement. Few benefit from a race to the bottom other than the landlords and developers cashing in.
I hope the planning committee take a stand on this and future applications for low quality conversions, those which take away vital family homes, and those which are not in keeping with the neighbourhood they are proposed.
