Six-bed HMO plan submitted for mid-terrace property in Weston
Friday 26th April 2024 
Becky Feather, Reporter Community, Politics
Plans to turn a mid-terrace house in Upper Weston into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) for six sharers have been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The application for No. 20 Southlands, which currently has four bedrooms, has been lodged by Rivers Birtwell, which specialises in accommodation for students and young professionals.
No extensions are required for the change of use, but some changes to windows are planned to align with the new layout to provide six single bedrooms.
Some soundproofing is also proposed and the plans include storage for four bikes.
There is no off-street parking at the property, but the application says HMO occupiers are generally less likely to have access to private vehicles than families and it is unlikely that there would be any adverse increase in on-street parking as a result of the conversion.
B&NES Council has a register of HMOs as a cumulative amount can significantly impact the character of a neighbourhood.
In this case, the application says that no home would be ‘sandwiched’ by HMOs and fewer than 10% of properties within a 100m radius – the council’s threshold – are in HMO use.
The planning reference is 24/01417/FUL. The deadline for comments is 10th May.
