Plans to carve up house in Hull's finest Georgian street sets 'undesirable precedent'

Developers are seeking planning permission to turn 21 Parliament Street, which was built as a house in 1797, into an eight-bedroomed house in multiple occupation (HMO)

Most HMOs have been subdivided from larger houses originally designed for one family, with residents sharing facilities like bathrooms and kitchens.

One objector voiced concerns that an HMO would attract “problem tenants” to an area, which already has problems, and suggested the council should look instead at “quality restoration”.

Their objection on Hull Council's planning portal states: "Parliament Street is predominantly a business focused area; HMOs tend to attract 'problem tenants' and there is already a proliferation of similar issues throughout the Old Town and City centre.

"There are also now more residential conversations on offer, and under development, than is probably sustainable.

"This objection is not one of snobbery but of suggesting that Hull City Council focuses on quality restoration and development which enhances the tourism offering of Hull and its attraction to visitors, workers and residents and by permitting HMOs sends out both the wrong signal to developers and sets an undesirable precedent."

Planners say despite the decline on adjacent Whitefriargate, once the city’s premier shopping street, Parliament Street “remains largely unchanged as one dominated by solicitors and other professionals”.

They are recommending councillors turn the application down at a meeting at Hull’s Guildhall on Wednesday, saying change of use “would change the special and unique character of the street.”

This Georgian merchant house in Hull is open to the public for just one weekend each year

The building of houses in Parliament Street - which are three bays wide and three stories high - began in 1796 and ended four years later.