PLANNING COMMITTEE AGENDA - Hartlepool Borough Council

Planning Committee – 25 th February 2009 4.1
proposed use of the buildings as flats would unduly affect the existing living
conditions of the occupier’s of neighbouring properties. There are no objections from
Public Protection in this respect.
13.17 Concerns have been raised by neighbours to the possibility of un-neighbourly
behaviour. It is considered that it would be difficult to sustain an objection on this
basis. The Private Sector Housing Team have raised no objections informally to the
scheme.
13.18 The concern raised by neighbours with regard to the occupiers of the flats, the
flats bringing a lack of community spirit, incorrectly supervised tenants, and the need
to retain a family area, are not material planning considerations and cannot be taken
into account in the formulation of a decision on this planning application.
Impact on Conservation Area
13.19 The originally submitted proposal incorporated a dividing wall at the bedroom
to the front of the property at ground floor. Concerns were raised with regard to the
visual impact on the Conservation Area with the provision of a dividing wall and the
potential loss of the bay window. The application was subsequently amended to
remove the dividing wall to negate any potential impact on the Conservation Area,
and the internal layout amended to create a larger 1 bedroom flat at ground floor,
rather than the originally proposed 2 bedroom.
13.20 It is therefore considered that the development would not have a detrimental
impact on the Conservation Area, and the will preserve the character of the
Conservation Area as all external features will be retained and there will be no
external alterations.
Highways Issues
13.21 Concerns have been raised by the Councils Traffic and Transportation section
with regard to the accessibility of the property in terms of the lack of transport links
and the potential for it to encourage vehicular use. However, a previous application
has been approved at 102 Grange Road for the conversion of a dwelling to four flats,
which can be argued is further from the town centre than the application property
and therefore occupiers of 78 Grange Road in theory will be more likely to walk into
town. Additional evidence has been put forward by the applicant’s agent suggesting
that there is a regular bus route 50 metres away between Thornville Road and
Mulgrave Road. A bus stop is located approximately ten properties away from 78
Grange Road, on Grange Road, which has a bus service running at approximately 1
per hour. It is therefore considered than an objection of such grounds could not be
sustained.
13.22 Concerns were also raised by the Councils Traffic and Transportation section
in relation to the apparent lack of parking provision with the development which will
potentially exacerbate on-street parking problems in the area. However, Policy Hsg7
states that parking requirements may be relaxed in instances where proposals for
the conversion of dwellings into self contained flats, where there is either public
4.1 Planning 25.02.09 Pl anning apps 76