HMO proposal in Royston refused over flood and safety concerns
Plans to convert a house on Midland Road in Royston into a house in multiple occupation (HMO) have been refused following concerns over flooding and community safety.
Barnsley Council refused the application for the property on Midland Road, which sought permission to change the property from a family home into a four-bedroom, four-person HMO.
The proposal would have involved internal alterations only, with no external changes to the building. Officers said the scheme would have contributed to the local housing mix and met several design and amenity standards.
However, the council concluded that the development was unacceptable due to its location in Flood Zone 3 and concerns that it could undermine community cohesion.
In a report to councillors, officers said the application was not supported by a site-specific flood risk assessment, meaning there was insufficient information to fully assess the risks associated with introducing sleeping accommodation at ground floor level in an area at high risk of flooding.
The Environment Agency objected to the scheme on flood risk grounds, while South Yorkshire Police also raised objections, citing crime and anti-social behaviour levels in the area.
The planning report said there was “genuine concern and fear” among residents that allowing the HMO could worsen existing problems and significantly undermine quality of life and community resilience.
A total of 17 objections were received from local residents, along with objections from a ward councillor, raising concerns about anti-social behaviour, safety, parking, waste management and the impact on the character of the area.
While officers noted that some impacts, including highways safety, noise, visual amenity and biodiversity were acceptable, they said the flood risk issues and community safety concerns were given significant weight against the proposal.
A report said that while flood risk issues could potentially be addressed through further information, concerns relating to crime, disorder and fear of crime were unlikely to be resolved through conditions or amendments.
Planning permission was refused, with the council concluding that the harms outweighed the benefits of providing additional shared housing at the site