®Planning appeal decision
85 Luton Road, CHATHAM, Kent, ME4 5AG
the change of use from C4 (HMO) 6 persons in 6 units to sui-generis HMO 10 persons in 6 units
- Authority
- Medway Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Catcheside E
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the property provides an adequate standard of accommodation for existing and future occupiers, with particular regard to bedroom size and the quality of communal space
What decided it
The inadequate standard of accommodation, particularly the small size of bedrooms 2 and 4 combined with the poor quality of the basement common room, means the building cannot cater for the full range of domestic needs of ten residents and this harm significantly and demonstrably outweighs the limited housing benefits.
The limited housing benefit and flexibility for homeless couples were outweighed by the significant harm to living conditions for existing and future occupiers, with the adverse impact significantly and demonstrably outweighing the benefits when assessed against the Framework taken as a whole.
Framework references: 11, 130
Plan policies cited: Policy BNE2 of the Medway Local Plan 2003
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.