Hundreds of residents have signed a petition in a bid to stop the conversion of a family home into a 6-bed HMO.
A property developer has lodged a planning application with Milton Keynes Council to covert a family home into a six-bedroom 'House in Multiple Occupation', or HMO, which would see six separate households live within the single property.
This house, located at 7 Clitheroe Croft, is down a quiet single-width residential street that usually does not see that much traffic.
However residents argue that should a six-bed HMO be built, the street could easily become overcrowded, and potentially dangerous, due to more vehicles using it.
Households claim that the narrow street, partnered with potentially more on-street car parking caused by the HMO, could result in emergency vehicles struggling to pass through.
These are just some of the reasons why several residents have already made formal objections to this planning application, with the neighbours calling on Milton Keynes Council to view the location to see whether the building would be suitable for the "tiny back street".
The developer hopes to demolish a wall that backs onto the property in order to build a car park for the HMO's lodgers, although a local councillor says this move would be detrimental to the area's character.
James Lancaster is the Councillor for Tattenhoe Ward, and he objects to the plans.
He said: "The HMO would be a nightmare for local residents. The applicant wants to demolish the garden wall to make a car park for 5 cars which would front straight onto Clitheroe Croft. A lot of greenery disappears and the whole character of the street plummets.
"There is no on-street parking in Clitheroe Croft because the road is too narrow. So with 6 young professionals living there, all with cars, and their visitors, Clitheroe Croft will be jammed with cars."
The planning application was submitted in February 2021, and a decision will have to be made by Milton Keynes Council's planning department by next month.
Residents have continued to put their foot down and have created a large-scale petition to stop the application from being approved. It has already received 216 signatures at the time of writing (17/3).
One resident told MKFM: "This is a small quiet close with one of the smallest roads in and out on the estate. There are already enough parking issues with many larger vans and emergency vehicles having problems getting in and out. It’s crazy to think a beautiful family home can be converted to 6 bedsits and, if allowed, a garden converted to parking spaces.”
Cllr James Lancaster concluded: "The safety of families and children who walk down there to get to the green and the woods will be put at risk. Tenby Grove residents will also be affected. This application should be refused."
Milton Keynes Council is expected to make a decision on the planning application by 19th April 2021.
