Long Sutton Parish Council and residents voice concerns over HMO and bedsit plans for Brenchley House
Concerns were raised at a ‘heated meeting’ over plans to convert a Grade II listed building into housing for 31 tenants.
Long Sutton Parish Council met with residents and developers on Thursday (May, 29) to discuss plans to convert Brenchley House, 39 and 43 West Street to be into two Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and a bedsit.
Some 64 people attended to raise concerns about lack of public consultation, refuse and recycling facilities, impact on services and parking.
IMN Properties has applied to South Holland District Council to convert the National Westminster Bank and Brenchley House.
Coun Robbie Woods, county councillor for The Suttons, said: “The meeting was interesting, the developers came with a representative and it got a bit heated at times between them and the residents in attendance.
“It gave myself, the parish council and the residents a better idea of what we’re dealing with, although there are still some grey areas.
“The parish council has a big list of objections they wish to take to South Holland District Council.”
Developers were asked to put together a management plan clearly outlining ‘how people considered for the HMO are vetted, what rules will be in place and how they will deal with antisocial behaviour.’
Coun Woods added: “The additional 31 people in the area will indisputably have an impact on local services, whether that be schools, doctors appointments of which the community is already struggling with.
“The police have responded online that they have no objections, this has amazed me after hearing the residents' concerns last night.”
Long Sutton Parish Council will be making further objections concerning the number of tenants intended for the premises and the size of the accommodation.
Chairman John Clarey oversaw the meeting which included members of neighbouring St Mary’s Church, Long Sutton’s Food Larder and the District Civic Society.
Representatives from the foodbank emphasised the service was already ‘over capacity in providing food for the town due to the current financial crisis.’
They added that if prospective tenants are from the homeless community the foodbank would be ‘overwhelmed.’
Some residents neighbouring Benchley House stated they had not been consulted in writing about the application or that planning notices were visible.
Four car parking spaces are allocated in the plans along with storage for 34 bicycles.
The parish council says it will be using the refusal of another housing planning application due to lack of parking in its arguments.
Documents submitted on behalf of IMN Properties state: “The vast majority of the buildings are in residential use and therefore the change of use to create HMOs will not significantly affect the character of the buildings in terms of how they are used given that both existing and proposed uses are effectively the same.”
Two business people were in support of the application which states there is an ‘identified need.’
A spokesperson from South Holland District Council said: “As with all applications submitted, this proposal will be assessed in the normal and proper manner, in line with all relevant national planning legislation and policies in place.
“As always, resident and local comment upon the application is welcomed via its planning portal entry, for consideration as part of the decision process.”#
Community group says HMO plan could put town’s historic conservation area further at risk
A community group is concerned ‘conservation is further at risk’ if plans go ahead for a Grade II building to be converted into an HMO.
Long Sutton and District Civic Society strongly opposes the application to convert Brenchley House, 39 and 43 West Street into multi occupancy accommodation.
Historic England has assessed the town’s conservation area to be ‘very bad’, partly due to grot spot The Bull Hotel nearby .
The impact of the HMO application on the conservation area was raised by society members at a public meeting organised by Long Sutton Parish Council on Thursday.
Tim Machin, chair of the society said: “We are very concerned that the application puts Long Sutton’s conservation area, centred on Market Place, further at risk.
“The addition of an intensive use HMO in such a prominent location at the heart of the conservation area will do nothing to improve its security and condition.
“The location of the proposal is in the immediate vicinity of St Mary’s Church, an iconic building in the heart of our community. It also overlooks the town’s war memorial.
“The annual Remembrance parade takes place immediately outside the subject premises. The dignity of this event could be impacted by the potential comings and goings of many households during the services.”
Planning documents state 'there will be no harmful impact on the setting of the conservation (area).’
Heritage England states negative change can have a real effect upon the way a ‘community feels about their area’ affecting confidence and leading to a ‘cycle of social and economic decline.’
Mr Machin said: “We share these views of the national agency and fear that the proposal could put the future of our conservation area and potentially the town’s commercial centre, which is an integral part of it, at further risk.”
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