Objectors say new HMO would have ‘unacceptable’ impact on street

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More than a dozen residents in Newport have claimed a proposed new HMO would have an “unacceptable” impact on their neighbourhood.

The four-bedroom house at 27 Morden Road could become a five-bed HMO (house in multiple occupation), under new plans.

HMOs are typically properties in which single, unrelated adults have their own bedrooms but share other communal areas such as kitchens, bathrooms or living rooms.

The applicant, in planning documents submitted to Newport City Council, argues the property’s location is “readily accessible” by public transport and near other services and amenities.

A council HMO licensing officer has also told planners he has “no concerns” about the proposed conversion of the property.

Several nearby residents have objected to the plans, however, each sending the council a copy of a letter raising concerns about the number of HMOs already in the St Julian’s ward.

They say there are already “at least five HMOs in Morden Road” and claimed a more than proportionate number of such properties could lead to “an imbalanced and unsustainable community”.

They argue the council’s planning department should focus on “neighbourhood spirit and traditional family-based values”, and said they feared a “potential for increased disturbance, impacting on our quality of life and right to privacy” if the HMO is approved.

The residents also complained about existing parking arrangements, limiting residents’ ability to park “within a reasonable distance of their home”, and “longstanding fly-tipping issues” in the Morden Road area – which they claim would worsen “if the population density increases”.

The St Julian’s ward’s three councillors have also lodged objections to the plans and have requested the application be called in to the planning committee for a final decision.

The application is currently out for consultation, and can be viewed on the Newport City Council website under reference 24/1017.