Belfast HMO plan rejected after 129 local objections

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw backed residents who were against plan despite officials recommending approval

A HMO application in the Rosetta area of East Belfast has been rejected after City Hall was inundated with 129 local objections.

The application was unanimously rejected by elected representatives at the August meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee, held this week.

The proposal, for 41 Rosetta Road, BT6, involved the change of use of the first and second floor level and part of the ground floor level to create a six bed/six person HMO. The application also involved ground floor extension and alterations to provide a retail unit, as well as a two storey rear extension, and rear dormer window.

READ MORE: New 164-bedroom hotel approved for junction of Donegall Pass and Botanic Avenue

READ MORE: Boucher Road leisure complex with bowling alley and indoor golf gets green light

The current property is a two storey building with a retail unit at ground floor selling catering equipment. The first floor is currently office and storage space.

Houses of Multiple Occupation, also known as ‘house-share’ residencies, which landlords lease out to three or more tenants from different addresses, have become increasingly controversial, with some arguing they have negatively affected communities and led to anti-social behaviour, in places like the Holyland and Stranmillis in South Belfast, where landlords rent houses to undergraduates and others.

Applications for new HMO licences have increased in other parts of the city in recent years. A series of applications have been refused across the city, but many applicants are successfully appealing the decisions via the Planning Appeals Commission.

The last HMO application to be refused by Belfast Council was in the Market area of Belfast, earlier this summer, after City Hall received nearly 300 local objections.

HMO licence renewal cannot be refused on the basis of overprovision of such properties in an area, but new licences can be refused on this basis.

While the council policy is that HMO’s should not account for more than 20 percent of any area of housing management, in reality many streets exceed this, with some in the Holyland reaching over 90 percent. Outside housing policy areas the threshold is 10 percent.

Council planning officers recommended the application at 41 Rosetta Road for approval, with conditions. Elected members conducted a site visit for the application in June.

The planning officer wrote in the application report: “The proposal is compliant with policy in that the 10 percent threshold for HMOs on this stretch of the Rosetta Road has not been exceeded.

“The application site also has a frontage onto Wynchurch Road and for completeness a search of the number of HMOs was checked for this street which found there to be no existing HMOs. Officers consider that the scheme will not be harmful in terms of traffic, parking and impact on the amenity of the surrounding area.”

The council received 129 objections regarding the application, including an objection by Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw, who appeared at the Planning Committee meeting in support of objectors. Issues raised by objectors raise issues of parking, traffic, and road safety, waste and refuse collection, antisocial behaviour, transient occupation and noise.

They also said there would be adverse impact on the sewage network, raised the threat of flooding, and added the development was “not in keeping with the local character.” Some raised the issue of overcrowding at the development, while others said it would devalue local properties.

At the Planning Committee meeting, Paula Bradshaw MLA said: “It is an area that has historic flooding, dating back to 2012, with raw sewage backing up during storm surges. Existing drainage infrastructure is already overburdened, and cannot in the opinion of the objectors, sustain additional demand.

“Northern Ireland Water has recommended a refusal due to infrastructure concerns, and the application contradicts Belfast’s Climate Resilience Strategy, which aims to mitigate flood risk, and promote sustainable development.

“No additional parking has been provided for residents, violating the Belfast Local Development Plan policy eight. Pedestrian safety risks are augmented by this, due to pavement misuse, especially around the schools.”

She added: “In terms of overcrowding – it is proposed this space would be the equivalent of a typical three bed, semi-detached house, but what we are seeing here are far more units than the property’s footprint can cater for.”

Alliance Councillor Tara Brooks successfully proposed refusal of the application at the meeting. She said: “The quality of the design isn’t really within the existing context. The extension sits well forward, interrupting the existing building line.

“The top floor is really poor quality space, with very limited headroom. I think flooding is repeated year after year, with surface water coming up from the sewers. When I was there for the site visit, there was no parking, in fact cars were parked across the pavement, which is one of my bug bears.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.