Croydon's Planning Committee has granted permission for a six-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) at 22 Brighton Road, Coulsdon. The retrospective application, which sought to formalise the change of use from a single-family dwelling, was approved with a series of conditions designed to ensure the property's smooth operation and integration into the community.
The property will be limited to six occupants, and a comprehensive HMO Management Plan must be submitted within three months of the permission being granted. This plan will detail how the property will be managed to ensure smooth operation and address potential issues such as noise and refuse.
Concerns raised by objectors regarding the impact on local services, noise, and the loss of a family home were addressed by planning officers. Regarding noise, officers stated that Given the number of hotel rooms proposed, it is considered that any noise generated from comings and goings is likely to be comparable to existing use of the land as a car park. Conditions are recommended requiring the submission of a Noise Management Plan and details of servicing arrangements to ensure that late-night use of external areas, guest activity and servicing operations do not result in unacceptable harm to the amenities of surrounding residential occupiers.
Furthermore, a condition was recommended to ensure any plant or machinery installed complies with standard noise requirements. Officers also noted that the proposed six-person HMO would not generate demand of a scale that would materially exceed that associated with occupation by a family household, and there is no evidence that the development would place undue pressure on local infrastructure or amenities.
Amendments were made to the application to retain existing boundary hedging, addressing concerns about biodiversity. The proposal was deemed to not result in significant external alterations, thus maintaining the character of the area. Parking provision of three spaces was considered acceptable given the site's moderate public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of 3. The PTAL rating of 3 is described as 'moderate' in the context of the Stoneham House application, which has a PTAL of 6b described as 'excellent'. Cycle parking for 37 bicycles and refuse storage facilities will be secured by condition, with officers satisfied that there is sufficient space within the site frontage to accommodate the required capacity without impacting access or the character of the area.
Fire safety was addressed through a submitted Fire Safety Statement. Compliance with its measures is secured by condition. However, the property will also be subject to separate HMO licensing regulations, administered by the Council's Private Sector Housing service under the Housing Act 2004. These regulations impose specific fire safety standards, including requirements for fire detection and alarm systems, means of escape, and fire-resistant construction, providing an additional layer of assurance.
Other conditions attached to the approval include:
- Ensuring the development is carried out in accordance with approved drawings.
- Submission of details for mechanical ventilation to bathrooms.
- Ensuring privacy measures are installed, including obscure glazing to identified windows.
- Restricting the use to C1 serviced apartments and limiting the maximum length of stay to 90 nights per year.
- Securing a minimum of two wheelchair serviced apartment units.
- Restricting the use of flat roofs as terraces.
- Submission of a Construction Logistics Plan (CLP).
- Submission of an Archaeological appraisal and follow-up actions.
- Submission of contamination exploration and mitigation.
- Submission of a Fire Strategy.
- Submission of a Flood Risk Assessment and Ground Water Flooding Mitigation.
- Secure by Design accreditation.
- Co-ordination strategy with existing planning permission/prior approval and residential units including accessibility to Stoneham House.
- Submission of a SUDS strategy and maintenance plan.
- Submission of a Delivery and Service Management Plan.
- Ensuring highway works are implemented/completed.
- Details of plant and noise limitations.
- Details of lighting.
- Landscaping including a minimum of three trees.
- Biodiversity enhancement measures.
- Any other planning condition(s) considered necessary by the Director of Planning and Sustainable Regeneration.
Officers concluded that the proposal would contribute to housing choice within the borough by providing an alternative form of accommodation capable of meeting a range of housing needs. While specific data on current housing demand for HMOs in Croydon was not provided, the Council's HMO team noted that the first HMO licence was applied for in October 2024, and there are currently no registered HMOs within the immediate postcode areas of CR5 2BL, CR5 2BA, and CR5 2BF, suggesting this development could help meet local needs. The proposal represents a sustainable form of development, subject to the recommended planning conditions.
