Issue - meetings

The Panel is asked to consider and comment on the options for the review of the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Supplementary Planning Document.

Joy Burt addressed the Panel, a copy of her statement will be placed on the Minute Book and can be seen online as an appendix to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

She said that she had responded to the consultation paper on HMOs in Bath Supplementary Planning Document Review in May 2017 and thanked Councillor Bob Goodman for leading the review into HMO Policy.

She said that in West Avenue the figure was now over 30%. She said that a reduction to 10% would go some way to address the student issue, but that this figure must apply to purpose built student accommodation as well as private HMOs.

She stated that it should be recognized that Bath cannot support the ever increasing expansion of student numbers at both of the universities. She said that she believed that a saturation point had now been reached and that a cap should be applied.

She said that by allowing developers to continue to turn family homes into HMOs for students as not only is it decreasing the housing stock, but as neither landlords nor students pay Council Tax, the income to B&NES is decreasing.

She said that she did have faith in the Council to do right by the residents of Bath so that those of us who live in Westmoreland and Oldfield Park wards can, in the future, say in truth we are proud to live in these communities.

Councillor Colin Blackburn asked if there was a site for potential purpose built student accommodation that she was concerned about.

Joy Burt replied that the recent proposals for a 126 bedroom facility on the site of the current Wansdyke Business Centre were a real concern. She said that local residents were pleased that it had been refused. She added that the issue of garages being converted into living accommodation was also a concern.

Simon Lock addressed the Panel, a summary of his statement is set out below.

He said that rubbish production is of a high volume at HMO properties and that he had written to Councillor Martin Veal on the matter, but had not received a reply.

He said that there were limited parking opportunities in areas containing a high percentage of HMOs and that noise emanating from regular late night parties was difficult to live with. He added that anti-social behaviour is a real problem and that the cause was alcohol being consumed in excessive amounts.

He stated that communities are becoming fractured and that the gardens of HMO properties in the main are often very messy.

He said that he felt that the number of registered HMOs was low in comparison to the actual figure.

Councillor Geoff Ward asked if he felt if the new SPD would make a difference.

Simon Lock replied that he thought it might as long as the number of registered HMOs increased.

Councillor Colin Blackburn asked what he thought the Council could do better regarding this issue.

Simon Lock replied that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9