4 Southwold Drive, Barking, ESSEX, IG11 9AU

‘change of use from Dwelling House (C3) to HMO (C4)’

Authority: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Leigh C

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposed development would be consistent with the spatial strategy of the development plan
Whether the proposed development would make adequate provision for parking

What decided it

The proposal was contrary to the spatial strategy of the development plan, particularly Policy DMH 5 which resists conversion of family homes to HMOs, and failed to satisfy the required criteria for HMO conversion.

Plan policies cited: Policy H9 of the London Plan 2021, Policy SP3 of the Barking and Dagenham Local Plan 2024, Policy DMH 5 of the Local Plan, Policy D6 of the London Plan, Policy T5 of the London Plan, Policy T6 of the London Plan, Policy DMT 2 of the Local Plan, Policy DMT 3 of the Local Plan

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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.

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What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.
- Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
- Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
- Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
- Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.
Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.
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