Smethwick High Street HMO would ‘make everything 100 times worse’ according to angry neighbours
A plan to build a 20-bed HMO in Smethwick High Street will make ‘everything 100 times worse’ according to angry neighbours.
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New plans would see a number of extensions built above and behind Viney’s Opticians in High Street, Smethwick, to make way for the house of multiple occupation (HMO).
But the move has angered residents in Victoria Avenue, a small row of houses behind the Smethwick shops, saying they already suffer from the lack of parking spaces and rats and other vermin from constant fly-tipping which the HMO would make “100 times worse.”
The objector told Sandwell Council: “The council must not accept this application for an HMO on the parking situation alone.
“If we the residents are having issues already with the existing shops and flats on rats, parking, fly tipping, can you imagine the situation when a 20 room HMO is slapped in the middle?”
Another objector added: “If the HMO goes ahead, they will mostly likely be using our residential parking to park their cars and as residents we will have to park outside which is not fair because these bays are for Midland Heart residents and we have disabled residents and small children we will not be able to cope with this will affect all residents.
“The narrow alleyway where the HMO will be will get more congested because there are delivery vans congesting it already and an HMO will make matters worse.
“A 20 room HMO will make everything 100 times worse, please stop this from going ahead.”
The plan has also been criticised by West Midlands Police over the ambiguous number of parking spaces as well as the lack of facilities for future residents.
The application did not include any security or management plans, the force added in an objection.
Only three bathrooms and kitchens would serve the 20 bedrooms and no lounge areas are included.
The application by Quinton-based Pritam Singh Gill from We Want Any Homes Ltd said the HMO would provide an “acceptable” level of amenity and would cause “no harm” to parking.
The application states that parking would be available – despite the proposed HMO being in a “highly sustainable location” – but does not specify the number of spaces.
A statement included with the application said: “The proposed restoration, extension and conversion of the application building, in order to provide residential accommodation, represents a sustainable form of development which would also achieve a more efficient use of an available brownfield site, meeting a clear housing need in the local community without causing any detriment to the amenity of the area or to the existing residents.
“The proposal scheme would bring about the restoration and modernisation of the rear sections of the building, and the tidying of the wider site, in a manner which would be sensitive and sympathetic in heritage terms.”
