Sefton Councillors have spoken of their anger at a “legal loophole” that means an area believed to have dozens of unregistered HMOs is classed as not being “over-saturated” with bedsits.
Cllr Anne Thompson, who is the ward councillor representing the Worcester Road area of Bootle spoke of how the street had become “bedsit land” as dozens of properties operate as HMOs (houses of multiple occupation).
However, due to planning rules, Sefton Council officers said that a proposal to convert another of the Victorian three-storey homes into a six-bedroom HMO would not breach the 10% over-saturation rule because only one house within 50m was officially known to have been converted into bedsits.
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Speaking at a meeting of the council's planning committee held last night (January 8) head of planning, Derek McKenzie, said the difficulty was that because several homes could have been converted prior to the council introducing stricter rules to tighten up on the amount of HMOs in the area, this means they cannot be factored in when considering if an area is oversaturated.
Cllr Thompson spoke of the devastation being caused in the area by so many bedsits in one location, saying she personally had been called out to deal with anti-social behaviour issues.
She said: “This area contains large Victorian houses, most are or were family houses but over the years have been purchased by landlords who discovered a tidy profit could be made by putting strangers together to live with sharing facilities without a single altruistic thought for those who have made a home in the area.”
Calling on members of the planning committee to reject the application for change of use, Cllr Thompson added: “Residents feel so strongly about any more conversation as they believe the area is already saturated. I’ve been requested to ask if any members of this committee would be happy living surrounded by these houses.”
The applicant, Mr Murphy also spoke to the committee, stating that his plans involved renting to nurses and that he was committed to ensuring “all neighbours are happy and there is no disturbance.”
However, several members of the planning committee spoke out in anger at the plans – and the fact the council had claimed in its report only one other HMO operated within 50m, something Mr McKenzie said was because the other HMOs in the area were “outside of the planning process” due to having been converted before tougher regulations came into force.
Cllr Paul Tweed asked what measures the council could take to rectify the situation. He said: “is it something that we can actually bring up or change the rules ourselves as an authority or as the planning committee, certainly in the future?
“As far as I’m concerned and as far as a lot of the residents are concerned they are HMOs and to be quite frank it’s something I feel strongly about as well that they are HMOs in effect.”
Cllr Paula Spencer said: “As much as what you’re saying that it’s not on paper, residents that are living there are aware that there is, the fact that it’s not on paper doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Is there any way to find out one way or another?”
Cllr Ruth Bennett asked if the application could be deferred while officers investigate further but Mr Mackenzie said to do so “could take a long time and be unfair and unreasonable” and that councillors must consider instead the application before them.
Cllr Spencer said: “But it’s already putting a strain on the area” adding: “The worry is that not doubting that on paper that it looks that everything is above board, in reality it’s what the councillor’s saying is would anyone else want to live in that area where there are so many.”
She then moved for a refusal on the grounds there was too much wider impact of HMOs in the area, although was told by the chief planning officer these grounds would be likely to lead to a successful appeal.
Deputy chair of the committee, Cllr Brenda O’Brien then moved for refusal on the grounds of the impact on the living conditions of surrounding neighbours.
Cllr Joe Reilly said: “We must be careful not to turn a blind eye to a legal loophole when it’s absolutely abundantly obvious what’s happening.”
A vote was then taken with all members refusing the application and only one, Cllr Gareth Lloyd-Johnson, abstaining meaning the application cannot now proceed.
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