HMO in Mansfield ‘family’ area to be extended from six to eight bedrooms – despite having no licence

The authority’s planning committee made the decision on the house on Hermitage Lane, at a meeting on October 27.

But members heard that the owner of the house has still yet to apply for an HMO Licence – despite one being required by Government law for any property occupying more than five people.

This issue was raised to be ‘chased up’ by the council’s private sector housing licensing team.

Documents show the detached former family home was extended in 2006 and according to Rightmove, it was last sold in 2017.

In 2024, it was turned into a six-bedroom HMO, with the garage, which was part of the 2006 extension, converted into a bedroom.

HMO stands for House in Multiple Occupation, and refers to a property where unrelated people live, renting rooms from the landlord rather than the entire house.

The conversion to a six-bedroom property did not require planning permission, as it fell under ‘permitted development laws’.

But converting to an eight-bed property does.

The owner proposes to convert the large living room area downstairs – which can be seen in photographs on Rightmove – into two more bedrooms.

Both would have en-suites and the work would not require any external work.

The large kitchen and diner will be maintained but would be the only shared communal area in the house.

In addition, the proposal is to remove some of the fencing around the front of the property to allow for a bigger access for cars onto the driveway, to make the dropped part of the kerb at the front of the house longer, and to move a bus stop further up the road so that buses don’t stop directly outside the house.

The front of the house is already paved, with space for two cars, but this would become four spaces if the access was improved.

Since the first submission of the application in 2024, there have been 14 public objections to the plans and no letters of support.

Concerns raised in objection comments included a lack of adequate parking, loss of residential amenity, potential increase in noise, disturbance and crime levels, the loss of a family dwelling and an impact on property values.

Coun Barry Answer (Ref) voiced his objection during the committee meeting, saying: “I feel it’s difficult to support this on the basis that Hermitage Lane is a very busy lane.

“I’m totally against an HMO in this area, particularly as it’s mainly where families live and people own their properties.

"We shouldn’t be encouraging situations where HMOs are in the middle of normal living accommodation.

"Eight people in a house is not normal living.”

But presenting a report on the house, a planning officer said: “HMOs do have a role to play in the provision of different housing types and therefore it is considered that they do contribute to providing a mixed and balanced community in accordance with Mansfield’s Local Plan.”

As part of the approval, the HMO will be subject to the condition that no more than eight people can live in the eight bedrooms at any one time – meaning there will be no couples at the address.

The details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/