9 Tower Road, Bournemouth, BH1 4LA

enlargement of existing building to create new roof, and convert to 15 bedroom HMO with shared bin and bicycle storage and a car parking space

Authority: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Other minor developments
Inspector: Evans L

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal would create satisfactory living conditions for future occupiers, with particular regard to external amenity space
The effect of the proposal on the living conditions of residential neighbours
The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the local area
Whether the proposal would provide satisfactory cycle parking provision
Whether the proposal would provide a satisfactory drainage solution in order not to lead to localised flooding
The effect of the proposal on biodiversity enhancements and on designated heathland

What decided it

The material harm to living conditions of both future occupants and neighbouring residents, combined with technical and environmental shortcomings, significantly and demonstrably outweighs the modest social benefits of additional housing.

The modest social benefit of providing additional residential accommodation within an existing HMO was significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the material harm to living conditions of future occupants and neighbours, technical shortcomings in cycle parking and drainage, and absence of biodiversity enhancements and heathland mitigation, such that the proposal was not a sustainable form of development.

Framework references: 11, 130

Plan policies cited: Policy 6.17 of the Bournemouth District wide Local Plan, Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy Bournemouth Local Plan, Policy CS6 of the Core Strategy Bournemouth Local Plan, Policy CS17 of the Core Strategy, Policy CS18 of the Core Strategy, Policy CS33 of the Core Strategy, Policy CS35 of the Core Strategy, Policy CS41 of the Core Strategy, Policy CS4 of the Core Strategy, Policy BAP1 of the Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan, Policy BAP2 of the Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan, Policy BAP8 of the Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.