Controversial plans to turn a single home in Ilford into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) for up to six people have been approved.
The house, in Inglehurst Gardens, is already being used as an HMO without the requisite permission, which is illegal under planning law. In a bid to rectify this, the applicant sought formal, retrospective permission for the house to be converted.
HMOs are houses in which multiple people who are not related live together. Typically, residents rent an individual bedroom in the house and share amenities such as kitchens and toilets.
Some 18 neighbours pushed back against the plans, saying it could worsen noise and the potential for “inconsiderate behaviour,” such as people playing loud music and “gathering in the garden in the evenings”.
At a Redbridge Council planning meeting last night (3rd September), one resident told the committee the application had caused “distress” on the street and people were “concerned”.
He said the “transient” nature of an HMO would also change the character of the street, which consists largely of family homes.
The potential impact on house prices, with prospective buyers “not wanting to live next to an HMO,” was also raised during the consultation process but planning officers said that is not a material consideration.
A representative for the applicant said the HMO had been deemed to be in good condition following a recent inspection, and the managing agent made weekly visits to check on the home. The property is also covered by CCTV and there had been no complaints.
Though the size of the rooms prompted concerns from councillors, who said they could fit more than six people, the representative said larger rooms would be more attractive to the target market of young professionals. He said people want to live in a “nice, safe environment”.
Redbridge is struggling with a borough-wide shortage of housing, which is a heavy strain on the council’s coffers.
It has fallen significantly behind on its annual housing targets, with just 337 having been built in 2023/24 against the London Plan target of 1,409.
