59 Lorne Road, Westmoreland, Bath

BPT does not oppose the material changes proposed to this suburban property. However, we highlight that that property is indicated to sit within the boundary of a Census Output Area in which HMO properties represent more than 25% of households. As such, the property would fail the Stage 1 Test for HMOs in Bath, and as such would contribute to the disproportionate balance of housing types in this area. Along Lorne Road, there is already a high density of active HMOs; of approximately 80 dwellings, 51 dwellings are registered with active HMO licences, resulting in an estimated 64% HMO density on this street alone.

Change of use would therefore result in the further, unacceptable loss of family housing in this area and would not support the objectives of sustaining a balanced community, contrary to Policy H2 of the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan. Approval of this application would maintain an undesirable precedent for further concentration of HMOs in an area of an overall minimum 25% density and should therefore be resisted.