The loss of parking spaces, a potential increase in antisocial behaviour and possible harm to the community feel of the area are among the chief concerns of people who spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
Plans to convert 48 West Heath Road – a large semi-detached property that has been vacant for several years – into a 12-bedroom HMO that could house up to 24 occupants have been submitted to Bexley Council.
All 12 double bedrooms would have en-suite bathrooms and there would be a kitchen on each of the four floors of the house. No living rooms are contained in the plans and only one parking space is proposed alongside storage for 12 bikes.
Those living nearby to the property in question have already been critical of the proposal for the unusually large HMO.
The planning application, which was validated by the council on August 14, has received 40 objections as of September 2.
Alan Perry lives with his wife in Pinewood Road which is perpendicular to West Heath Road.
They, alongside many other Pinewood residents, fear the new HMO will encroach on their privacy as they believe an outside terrace on the property will provide those living there with direct views into their gardens and the back of their houses.
The couple also had concerns about the HMO becoming a source of antisocial behaviour and were worried there could be loud noises and parties at the property.
They feared its residents would be “transient people”.
Bexley councillor John Davey also lives in Pinewood Road and he confirmed he had called in the planning application, meaning even if planning officers recommend it for approval then the outcome would be decided by Bexley’s Planning Committee.
He said: “What most people are concerned about is that with these applications you never know who’s going to go in there.
“People have said to me that one of their concerns is that if they start closing all these hotels for migrants and asylum seekers, where are they going to put them?”
He also did not think the neighbourhood was suitable as HMOs are typically aimed at students and there are no colleges or universities nearby.
He added: “Being a local councillor, I know some of the HMOs that people have put in [across Bexley] have caused problems, with residents chucking their rubbish out the front and playing music late at night.
All sorts of social problems that have upset the local people, and that’s with ones with four or five people in it.”
Cllr Davey said that 24 occupants only increased the probability of the HMO causing antisocial problems.
He suggested, like many others living nearby, that the property be split into three or four flats instead of becoming an HMO like its adjoining semi-detached property.
Residents believe this would offer more housing options for families in the borough as well as reduce the chance of antisocial behaviour.
Parking is another big concern.
Many are wondering what will happen to parking spaces on West Heath Road if all 24 potential residents own a car, and some also thought the parking surveys included in the proposals were “misleading” as they took place at 5am.
Residents claimed the road fills up in the day with the cars of commuters who park and then take a bus to Abbey Wood.
One West Heath resident who had lived on the road for over 30 years said the road “was very much a community” and she feared such a large HMO wouldn’t be able to integrate into that.
She also did not understand why the HMO plans contained no communal indoor spaces except for the kitchens, and wondered where its residents would relax during downtime when there were no cafés or pubs nearby.
She added: “I think it would spoil the neighbourhood. You cannot put 24 people into a smallish road.
“I do not think we are simply being NIMBYs. There is a genuine concern.”
Another resident said she wouldn’t feel safe walking around at night due to the sudden influx of so many new residents she didn’t know.
The plans will be decided in due course.
