Plans to convert a family home into bedsits have been refused over fears ‘cramped’ conditions would be a throwback to the standards of the 1950s.
The proposals would have seen the property - which served as Heaton Moor library until the mid-90s - divided into a 10-bedroom house of multiple occupation, or ‘HMO’.
Only one room would have had an en-suite, while residents would have shared three bathrooms and two kitchen and dining areas.
Four of the bedrooms - which ranged from 12 sqm to 18 sqm in size - were to have been housed in the loft of the two-storey property in Thornfield Road.
The rejected application, from Fast Acquisitions Ltd, also included eight parking spaces.
The scheme was scaled down from an earlier proposal for an 11-bed HMO. But this did little to ease residents concerns over its potential impact on Mauldeth Road Conservation Area.
Ten letters of objection were lodged with Stockport council, which received just one in support.
John Mason, representing local objectors, told a meeting of the Heatons and Reddish Area Committee the development was ‘low grade’ and not an appropriate use of the building.
He said: “It’s poorly designed in relation to other HMOs in the borough, some of which comprise all en-suite accommodation, and in some cases incorporate cinema rooms and co-working space.
“This development would cause considerable harm to the character of the conservation area and to the amenity of the area."
Mr Mason added: “The poor quality accommodation without en-suite rooms will not be attractive to key workers and professionals, as suggested by the applicant, and is likely to only to appeal to short-term, transient occupiers.”
He also raised concerns over ‘insufficient parking’ space at the HMO, warning it could lead to overspill on to Thornfield Road, which he described as ‘busy’ and ‘on a dangerous corner’.
The planning officer’s recommendation was to grant approval of the scheme on the basis it complied with council and national planning policy.
However, members of the committee were inclined to agree with Mr Mason and local objectors.
Veteran councillor Tom McGee remembered the rooms as being 'cramped and small' when the building was a library, and said the quality of the conversion was 'wrong'.
He added: “I don’t think students these days would look at that and say ‘that’s good’, they would reject that sort of accommodation. And the idea of unknown adults sharing bathrooms, we are going back to the 1950s and 60s, we’re not in the 21st century.”
The deputy council leader also said he feared the tightness of spaces on the site could lead to ‘people parking all over the place’.
His views were shared by Heatons North councillor David Sedgwick who said it was the most ‘disappointing’ application he had seen in eight years on the committee.
He added: “I don’t wish to be hyperbolic but I think we, as an authority, have to demand the quality of housing that our residents truly deserve.
“This, to me, is gross over-development which puts the profitability of this development clearly over the needs of the people who will be living there. For me, that’s simply not good enough.”
Coun Sedgwick moved to refuse the application and was seconded by Coun John Taylor who said approving the plans would ‘depreciate the area’ and urged the committee to ‘stand its ground.
Councillors voted unanimously to reject the application.
