Controversial plans for shared housing in Hastings turned down at appeal

In a decision notice published on Thursday (March 14), a planning inspector has dismissed an appeal connected with proposals to create a 15-bedroom House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) at 37 to 39 Mount Road.

Hastings Borough Council had turned down an earlier version of the scheme (then comprising 16-bedrooms) in January 2023, with officers raising concerns around the ‘poor quality’ of the housing.

In a report at the time, a council planning spokesman said: “The proposal would represent an intensive use of the land in an existing built-up area and would also provide housing for 16 people who are in need of housing, potentially including those that are homeless or at risk of such. It is supported by the council’s housing options officer.

“Against a backdrop of limited housing supply and ongoing affordability issues regarding housing in Hastings this is a consideration that attracts significant weight in the overall planning balance.

“However, the quality of the housing being provided is considered to be poor, and the living conditions for future residents would be inadequate, particularly taking account of the very poor outlook from many of the bedrooms in the development, and the lack of good quality internal and external communal space, leading to a risk of noise and disturbance to neighbouring residents.

“The proposal is therefore considered to be in significant conflict with local and national planning policy which strives to achieve high quality, well designed development that provides good quality living conditions for existing and future residents, and substantial weight should be attributed to this harm.”

The application had also proved unpopular with local residents, prompting objectors to submit a petition (signed by 95 people) as well as 74 individual letters of objection. Concerns raised by these objectors were similar to those raised by the council.

But the applicant took a different view, arguing the scheme met the national standards for HMOs in terms of size and amenity for occupants.

The application had also included details of a management plan for the building, which included CCTV monitoring of indoor and outdoor communal areas, a digital access system, a live-in manager and various policies for residents of the building.

Ultimately, however, the planning inspector shared the council’s concerns around quality, concluding that the proposals “would not offer acceptable living conditions for future occupiers” and also create “unacceptable harm” to neighbours through noise and disturbance.

In their decision notice, the inspector said: “The proposal aligns with some of the core principles of the [National Planning Policy] Framework in that it would provide housing in a sustainable location for which there is an identified need, including six rooms that would be fully accessible accommodation for wheelchair users.“It would make efficient use of the land. There would also be some socio-economic benefits arising from new occupiers using local shops and services. These benefits attract considerable weight in the overall planning balance.

“However, the Framework is also clear in its aim to create places with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users. The harm I have identified to the living conditions of future occupiers of the appeal site and to neighbouring occupiers, outweighs the identified benefits.”

In light of this view, the planning inspector dismissed the appeal.

For further information, see application reference HS/FA/22/00624 on the Hastings Borough Council website.