BCP Council (Bournemouth area): Matt is pleased to share the news that he has recently secured planning permission for alterations, extensions and a conversion of an existing 12-bed HMO into 7 self-contained flats with revised access, parking, cycle storage and bin storage. The scheme was designed by ARC Architecture for mutual clients.
Securing consent for HMO-to-flat conversions is rarely straightforward and this scheme had an extra layer of complexity because the site fell within the Portchester Road Conservation Area. The property is a substantial Edwardian building in a generous plot, so the application had to show not only that more homes could be delivered, but that this could be done without unacceptable harm to local character.
A key reason the scheme succeeded was that the principle of development was strong from the outset. The Council accepted that the site is in a sustainable location, within 400 metres of both the Charminster Road district centre and a key transport route. The proposal also made efficient use of an existing residential building, increasing the number of dwellings from one to seven and delivering a net gain of six homes toward Bournemouth’s housing shortfall. Officers also noted the site’s long residential history, including earlier uses as flats, a care home and an HMO.
Where the application really had to work hard was on heritage and design. The original scheme proposed 8 flats and would have required much more significant changes to the roof, which drew clear objection from the Heritage Officer. In response, the scheme was revised down to 7 flats. The amendments retained the existing roof form, moved cycle and bin storage from the front to the detached garage at the rear, improved landscaping, and refined the frontage treatment. Although there were still concerns about the amount of front hardstanding, the case officer concluded that the proposal would not detract from the prevailing character of the area overall.
The application was also helped by the fact that neighbour amenity and living conditions were handled well. The report confirmed that the external changes were relatively minor and would not result in material overlooking, loss of light or an overbearing effect on neighbours. At the same time, the proposed flats were found to meet the Nationally Described Space Standards with a good-sized communal rear garden for future occupiers.
Parking and technical matters were equally important. The scheme provided six on-site parking spaces, a new vehicular access, secure cycle storage and dedicated refuse storage within the detached garage. While the proposal did not fully meet parking standards, the Highways Officer raised no objection and was satisfied that the remaining details could be controlled by condition.
Ultimately, the decision turned on planning balance. The officer accepted that the proposal would cause less than substantial harm at the lower end of the spectrum to the conservation area, but concluded that this was outweighed by the public benefits, particularly the delivery of six additional dwellings at a time when the Council could not demonstrate a five-year housing supply. The recommendation was to GRANT permission, and notably no letters of objection were received during consultation.
For us at Pure Town Planning, this is another example of how we work pro-actively with planning departments amending schemes when required to unlock the consents on sensitive residential sites. A well-located brownfield property, thoughtful amendments, clear responses to officer concerns and a robust planning balance turned a challenging proposal into a successful one. If you are considering an HMO-to-flat conversion, redevelopment within a conservation area, or a scheme with competing design and policy pressures, we would be glad to help.