Former Walsall care home could become second HMO in same street
A former care home within a conservation area could become a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) – right next door to another one.
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Plans have been submitted to Walsall Council to develop the inside of number 73 Lichfield Street into an HMO for up to 11 tenants.
Last month permission was granted by Walsall Council for an eight-bed HMO at neighbouring 79 Lichfield Street. Between the two properties lies only a public footpath linking Lichfield Road to The Butts.
Elsewhere in the WS4 postcode, there are already 12 houses of multiple occupation.
If this latest application is approved, alterations to the former Gables Rest Home will be made internally only. The ground floor will have six en-suite bedrooms and the first floor will have five.
Both floors will have a communal kitchen and laundry room. No alterations will be made to the exterior of the property.
Houses of multiple occupancy have faced opposition from residents and councillors in the past.
The applicant, B Devine, has set out a number of rules which all potential tenants must adhere to. It said all must be full time working professionals, have a good credit history and all must pay a one-month deposit upfront.
No overnight visitors or pets will be allowed. B Devine also said the front door, back door and communal areas will be fitted with CCTV cameras.
The property, which has lay vacant for a number of years, is inside the Walsall Arboretum Conservation Area. There are two Grade II listed buildings nearby including 1 and 2, Victoria Terrace and Uplands House. The arboretum itself is also Grade II listed.
The building also falls into the Cannock Chase Special Areas of Conservation, meaning the applicant may have to pay £344 to mitigate any impact the development would have on the national landscape.
