Two Nine-Bed HMOs Refused in Barrow Following Residents’ Concerns
Plans to turn two family homes in Barrow into large houses in multiple occupation have been rejected by councillors.
The separate applications proposed converting 25 and 29 Hartington Street into nine-bedroom HMOs. Each property would have provided accommodation for up to nine people.
Members of Westmorland and Furness Council’s Barrow Local Area Planning Committee refused both applications on Tuesday, July 28. Councillors went against planning officers, who had recommended approval.
For nearby residents, the decision means two traditional homes will not become large shared properties. It also prevents another 18 HMO bedrooms from being added to a section of Hartington Street where several similar developments have already been approved.
Concerns About Growing Number of HMOs
Barrow Town Council objected to both applications because of concerns about an over-concentration of HMOs.
Large shared properties are already located or approved at numbers 31, 32, 36 and 38 Hartington Street. Number 31 was approved as a ten-bedroom HMO, while number 32 was approved with seven bedrooms. Numbers 36 and 38 provide a further 14 bedrooms between them.
Approving the latest plans would therefore have created a cluster of large HMOs within a relatively small part of the street.
Local concerns focused on how this could affect the balance and character of the neighbourhood. Residents also raised worries about parking and the pressure that more occupants could place on waste collection and other local services.
Why the Decision Is Positive for Residents
The refusal protects two homes that can continue to be used by single households. This may be welcomed in an area where residents are concerned about losing too much traditional family housing.
It also gives councillors an opportunity to consider the combined impact of HMO developments, rather than judging each property in isolation.
The decision could benefit residents by:
- Protecting the existing mix of homes on Hartington Street
- Preventing a further concentration of large HMOs
- Reducing the risk of additional parking pressure
- Limiting the amount of extra waste produced by high-occupancy properties
- Helping preserve the residential character of the street
- Showing that local objections can influence planning decisions
HMOs can provide useful and more affordable accommodation for workers and other people living alone. However, residents have argued that they should be spread appropriately and supported by suitable parking, bin storage and management arrangements.
Applicant Disputed Parking Concerns
The applicant challenged the objections and said the developments would not create unacceptable parking problems.
Evidence submitted to the committee claimed that parking surveys had found between eight and 16 available spaces at different times. The applicant also highlighted the properties’ proximity to Barrow railway station, local bus routes, cycle lanes and BAE Systems’ Devonshire Dock Hall.
The proposed tenants were expected to include contractors and apprentices who could walk or cycle to work. The applicant also offered to prevent occupants from applying for resident parking permits through conditions in their tenancy agreements.
Plans included secure cycle storage and enclosed bin areas in the rear yards, with waste taken out through rear access gates on collection days.
The applicant maintained that the existing HMOs represented only a small share of the homes along the full length of Hartington Street.
Councillors Put Local Impact First
Despite these arguments and the recommendation from planning officers, committee members decided that the two schemes should not go ahead.
The outcome will be seen as a positive step by residents who believe Hartington Street has already accommodated enough large shared properties in one area.
It does not prevent appropriate shared housing from being developed elsewhere in Barrow. Instead, the refusals underline the need to balance demand for lower-cost accommodation with the impact on existing communities.
