Paulette Hamilton MP has submitted an objection to another planning application for an HMO on Gravelly Lane, Erdington.

Read Paulette’s objection to the Planning Committee below:

Planning Committee
Birmingham City Council
Council House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B1 1BB
Dear Planning Committee,

20th July 2023

Planning Application Number: 2023/04213/PA

 

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the planning application for the conversion of 120 Gravelly Lane from a 3-bedroom house to a 7-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

 

Many constituents have contacted me, worried about the detrimental impact yet another HMO would have on the area, and I share their concerns. I do not understand why the Council would seek to exacerbate an existing over-concentration of HMOs within the area, undermining the Council’s objective to create balanced communities.

 

According to the Council’s records, 14% of the residences within 100m of the property are now used as either an HMO or Exempt Accommodation. I am worried that this may contravene Clause 1A of Policy DM11 of the Development Management in Birmingham 2031, which does not permit proposals that would result in this type of accommodation constituting over 10% of the number of residential properties within a 100m radius of the application site.

 

I also cannot see how the occupiers would be properly facilitated in these plans for a 7-bedroom property with cramped living conditions in addition to limited parking spaces proposed which would fail to ensure that safe, convenient, and appropriate access arrangements would be put in place for all occupiers.

 

Finally, I am concerned about the lack of information regarding the future occupiers of this premises given the already high levels of crime and anti-social behaviour. The Birmingham Erdington constituency has the 2nd highest crime figures in the West Midlands so I cannot understand why the Council would support these proposals which would place vulnerable occupiers in the centre of such issues.

 

I would like to understand why the Council would consider these plans, which are clearly neither in the public interest nor the interests of the future occupiers.
I therefore want to reinforce my total objection to planning application 2023/04213/PA.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Paulette Hamilton MP