95 Mount Road, Southdown, Bath

The building as existing is a 3-bed C3 family home, situated within an area of high residential grain comprised of largely semi-detached housing, with some examples of limited stretches of terraced housing/shops. Roundhill Primary School is a 6 minute walk away along Mount Road. We note that there are already an existing number of HMOs in the vicinity; from the approx. 40 dwellings closest to No. 95, 8 are HMOs, resulting in an estimated HMO density of 20%. We acknowledge that this is below the 25% threshold set as the HMO Stage 1 Test Area.

However, we maintain some concerns regarding the proposed residential intensification of the building as a HMO, increasing from 3 to 8 bedrooms in an area where HMO licences are largely granted for houses of 4-5 beds. We consider this would set a harmful precedent for the potential intensification of other dwellings in the area as well as the ‘cramming in’ of additional bedrooms in already tightly-packed HMO properties in similar residential areas across Bath.