Controversial 32-bed HMO approved despite much objection including police warning
A controversial 32-bed HMO has been approved by Hull City Council’s planning committee despite much objection including a warning from Humberside Police.
Plans for a 32-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) at 337-341 Beverley Road were resubmitted to Hull City Council in January following a near identical application being refused in Spring 2024.
The mammoth HMO would even contain a gym and cinema room in addition to the 32-bedrooms. The bedroom layout is proposed to be as follows, each bedroom is set to have its own en-suite:
Ground floor: twelve bedrooms First floor: twelve bedrooms Second floor: eight bedrooms
The application has now been narrowly approved by the council’s planning committee by 5 votes to 4, with one abstention. The committee heard from several speakers who strongly opposed the plans, including two of the ward councillors who represent the area where the building is situated. Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, who is the council’s portfolio holder for regeneration and housing told the committee that “the community is absolutely against this application” and told his council colleagues to “show support for the residents.”
In a similar vein, Cllr David McCobb said: “The over proliferation HMOs in this part of Hull is having a significant detrimental affect on the local community.”
Humberside Police has also registered its concern at the plans and has expressed desire to oppose the application. The force said: “Some academic research does appear to find that a proliferation of HMOs can in part increase the potential for violence due to the particular stresses and insecurities of living in low-quality, crowded accommodation, with shared facilities and little or no choice of cohabitees.
“Approving a 32 bed HMO may well add to the stresses on this particular location.”
Jason Kay, a Property Manager, supported the application and told the committee that the application “meets the council’s own requirements,” adding that the current occupier of the building, Alan Woods & Partners have “outgrown” the premises and will be looking for a larger site. Mr Kay stated that if the application were to be rejected, “there is a significant chance of major job loses and an empty building being left to decay and Alan Woods moving out of the city as a result.
After long debate, councillors approved the application, as was recommended for approval by the council’s planning officers. After the meeting Mr Kay took to social media to say: “I am over the moon that we finally overcome the idiocy of the local councillors and some of the planning committee.”