Smawthorne Lane: ‘Substandard’ Castleford HMO plan rejected

Wakefield Council said the proposals for the property on Smawthorne Lane, Castleford, would cause ‘harm’ to the street’s character.

The application received 51 objections after it was submitted in November last year.

The property, at the junction with Smawthorne Avenue, is currently a house of multiple occupation (HMO) for six people.

A developer sought permission to increase the number of residents to eight by adding adding a new dormer and making internal alterations to the building.

Objectors said the area is already ‘saturated’ with HMOs and would put further pressure on parking facilities on Smawthorne Lane.

Claims were also made that the development would add to crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.

The applicant said the proposals would improve the quality of the building.

A planning statement said: “We believe that the changes proposed will have a positive contribution to the quality of this property and will not result in loss of any of the architectural features.”

But council officers said the plan failed to comply with the local authority’s HMO standards.

A report said: “The proposal would result in a substandard level of communal living space and would not provide an acceptable level of amenity or standard of housing environment for future occupiers.

“The design of the rear dormer would result in an uncharacteristic, incongruous, and overly prominent feature that would result in harm to the immediate character of the area and the street scene.”

The council’s strategic housing team also said there would be insufficient kitchen facilities in the property.

Concerns were also raised over ventilation and a ‘lack of height’ to one of the bedrooms.

One objector to the plan commented: “How many people do you want to cram in to one house? The residents must be like caged hens.

“Is there any consideration for the fact that we have bought our properties and that this is destroying the street?

“What about young families? We need more family homes.”