Breightmet HMO to be built with no need for permission

The applicant, Parata Property, took out an application for a site on Burnmoor Road at the start of this year but took back the application on April 18.

Its plan was to turn the house into a five-bed HMO and to turn the garage at the side into a separate, standalone property for another person.

However, after advice from Bolton Council it would be refused on the basis of overdevelopment, it is understood the applicant removed the transformation of the garage at the side from its plan. 

It is understood the transformation of the house into a five-bed HMO is to be done under permitted development so no planning permission is required.

Sean Fielding, a councillor for Breightmet Ward, said the situation was a sign of an issue in the management of this type of property across the country.

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Cllr Fielding said: "When I heard that the application for this HMO conversion had been withdrawn, I was pleased. However I was disappointed to later find out that it can be converted to an HMO anyway, albeit a smaller one.

"Prior to the defeat of the last Labour Government in 2010 this conversion would not have been permitted without planning permission and the proposals could have been heard in public allowing people the opportunity to object. 

"In Breightmet and elsewhere in Bolton we are living with the consequences of the Conservative Government extending permitted development to allow things like this to happen.

"When there is a shortage of good-quality family homes we cannot afford to be allowing unrestricted numbers of houses to be converted to single rooms for rental which serve no other objective than maximising developer profits. I will continue to campaign for tighter regulations on HMO conversions."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.