A CONTENTIOUS housing development saw an objecting councillor leave the chamber during a meeting of Barrow town planners.

On Tuesday the borough council planning committee met to decide on a proposed redevelopment of a three-storey terraced house in Park Avenue, Barrow.

Residents have objected to the plan to turn the property into eight-bedroom rented accommodation. They claim it will increase congestion, generate excess noise and is not in keeping with the existing community.

The applicant, Matthew Johnson, said: "When I decided to create an HMO, I wanted to create a well-designed home for working professionals."

It was alleged the development would damage the character of the area, to which Mr Johnson replied: "That is not my intention."

Residents are concerned the development of a HMO, or house in multiple occupation, would encourage similar development in the town. There were fears homes which could be occupied by families would be carved up to serve the rental market.

Councillor Brendan Sweeney was sitting alongside residents to put forward his own objections to the plan.

His reservations were that residents inside the property would be subjected to a poor standard of living, and insufficient parking space.

Cllr Sweeney said: "The basement living areas have very little natural light. I would suggest that this in itself is a major issue in providing a reasonable quality of life for the seven residents who will use these areas.

"If working, the residents are likely to have vehicles, quite possibly vans, and would be fully entitled to residents' parking permits. There is insufficient space in the residents' only zone to accommodate these vehicles."

Members of the planning committee questioned if granting the property permission to become an HMO was appropriate.

Planning legislation states that an HMO has to be the permanent home of the residents living there. It was suggested a more appropriate classification would be C1, used for hotels, boarding and guesthouses.

Councillor Bill McEwan raised this point, making reference to a report prepared for the committee members.
It said: "As defined in the Housing Act 2004, s254, to be defined as an HMO the living accommodation must be occupied by persons as their only or main residence."

As councillors made comments on whether the house should be classified as an HMO, or a C1 property, Cllr Sweeney made several attempts to speak out, against the protocol of the meeting.

Committee chairwoman Councillor Ann Thomson threatened to adjourn the meeting unless Cllr Sweeney stopped interrupting - he then left the chamber and the meeting resumed.

Based on the information received during the meeting, Cllr Thomson moved that the decision on the application be deferred for one month.

She said: "We need information for ourselves and the residents. We need clarification."

The motion to defer the decision until February was carried unanimously by the committee members.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Sweeney said: "I think there is a very strong case to refuse this application on the grounds of a poor standard of living."

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