Chesterfield planners have voted in favour of approving the conversion of a building near the town centre into a shared property potentially for nine ‘young professionals’.
Chesterfield Borough Council approved applicant Luke Edwards’s scheme at a meeting on December 22 to change a two-storey building on Saltergate, Chesterfield, previously used as an office and a maisonette into a House in Multiple Occupation with nine en-suite bedrooms.
Cllr Kate Caulfield told the meeting: “The proposal for an HMO with the type of tenant that has been described to us is one that we should encourage.”
The scheme includes two bedrooms on the ground floor including en-suite bathrooms and kitchen facilities, and a shared amenity space including a dining room, lounge area and kitchen facilities.
Its first floor will have four bedrooms including en-suite bathrooms and cooking facilities in three rooms and the second floor will have three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and cooking facilities in two rooms.
The scheme also features plans for a cycle store for nine bicycles and parking for two vehicles on the site will be maintained.
There are also plans for a new bin store and a private amenity area for residents in the rear yard with a wall and pillars and railing and the current driveway is expected to be closed off.
The council positively recognised that the HMO would be located within walking distance of the town centre with easy access to services, employment, open space, cycle routes and public transport.
Residents submitted nine statements as part of a public consultation objecting to the scheme with concerns about car parking, traffic and highways safety highlighting that an entrance off Clarence Road is used by three other businesses and any changes to the rear yard could create issues.
But Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority has raised no objection to the proposal after recognising that the site is in a sustainable location and there is free and paid parking available nearby and that it is within walking distance of a range of services, facilities and public transport.
The concerned residents also raised worries about a feared over-development of HMOs but the council stated that its Local Plan has no specific policies on restricting the concentration of larger HMOs.
Some were also concerned about a possible increase in noise but the council stated the development will be expected to have only a minimal and acceptable impact on the amenity of users and neighbours.
Agent Eamonn Chapman, representing applicant Mr Edwards, told the meeting the scheme will bring an old building into permanent use in a highly sustainable town centre location.
Mr Chapman acknowledged that the property is a listed building in a conservation area and the developers will be mindful to respect its original features.
Cllr Stuart Brittain raised concerns about the limited amount of parking spaces available at the property when the scheme is aimed at providing homes for nine people.
But Mr Chapman said: “For these kind of developments there is usually no parking for them. It’s specifically aimed at young professionals, so often with that the need for parking spaces is quite low.”
When further questioned by Cllr Kate Caulfield about the type of expected tenants, Mr Chapman added: “We are not expecting this to be family accommodation. It won’t be families. It will be very young professionals looking for accommodation in the local region.”
A borough council officer stated the proposal for a change of use to create a house of multiple occupancy at the property is considered to be acceptable in accordance with the policies of the Local Plan.
The planning committee voted to approve the planning application subject to conditions including a biodiversity enhancement scheme and that detailed plans of a boundary treatment will need to be submitted to and agreed in writing by the council’s planning authority.
Report by Jon Cooper – Local Democracy Reporter
