A planning application seeking to turn a terraced property at 10, Windsor Terrace, Banbridge, into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) has been approved by ABC Planning & Regulatory Services committee members.
The application was lodged by AMD Architectural Design, Portadown, on behalf of Gary Chambers, Bishops Green, Banbridge, despite 15 objections to do with the limited car-parking provision, and concerns over potential noise and antisocial behaviour, in what is a very settled street community.
ABC principal planning officer, Roisin Hamill told committee members at the July 9 meeting: “The application is for internal alterations and change of use to four-bedroom HMO at 10 Windsor Terrace, Banbridge, and was presented to committee in June with a recommendation to approve.
“At the committee it was agreed that the application be deferred pending a site visit by members, and to allow both the applicant and the objectors the opportunity to submit further information in respect of the potential impact of the proposed development on property values.
“The applicants supplied three letters from separate estate agents, in support of his position that there would be no detrimental impact in respect of devaluation of residential properties in the vicinity of the application site.
“Submission was also received on behalf of objectors. Officers have considered all of the submissions and are of the view that there is no clear definitive evidence that the property values would be impacted if this application were to be approved. For that reason, officers are giving limited weight to this information.
“The application is being presented back to members with an unchanged recommendation to approve, and I’m happy to run through the slides with you again.”
The senior council officer illustrated her talk with a presentation showing there is access to the rear of the terraced properties via a dedicated lane, and she explained a parking survey had highlighted spare capacity in terms of parking at various times of the day.
Cllr Mary O’Dowd concurred with the findings of the car-parking survey: “Whenever we were there it’s not as if the road was empty, but there were spaces there for people to park.
“It was like every other road within the country, you’ll always get spaces, so I wouldn’t have any objections to this going ahead.”
Chair of committee, Cllr Scott Armstrong (DUP, Armagh DEA) explained he had been able to find a parking space during the site visit, albeit a bit further down the road: “I think it’s probably the benefit of having these site visits. I was there for about 4.45pm and I had to drive on down because there were no parking spaces.
“By the time I parked the car and walked back up, car parking spaces were available, and I think a few of the members in here availed of them at that time.
“Being out on the ground at different times of the day, you are going to get different spaces available, so I think that answered a lot of my queries around this. I’m not sure about everyone else but that definitely alleviated my concerns.”
The recommendation to approve the planning application was proposed by Cllr O’Dowd and seconded by Cllr Armstrong.
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