The Queens pub in Bootle earmarked for eight-bed shared house
New plans for an eight-bedroom shared house at a former Bootle pub have stalled after concerns were raised about amenity space.
The proposal was put forward by a Mr Ashraf, based in Stockport, who sought to expand the residential offer at The Queens pub building on Knowsley Road to accommodate at least eight people.
The application to turn the property into a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) was evaluated at Sefton Council’s planning committee on October 15 where officers from the local authority recommended the plans to elected members. The council report confirmed the proposal represented an “intensification of use”, but noted the first and second floors are already established as residential properties, operating as a six bedroom unit without any external amenity space.
The report stated: “The applicant has provided evidence that the property has been vacant for a prolonged period, and its reuse would contribute positively to the area’s regeneration objectives.”
It added: “The proposal is not expected to cause significant harm to the neighbouring residents, and is recommended for approval subject to conditions.”
Responding to the report, Cllr Nina Killen asked: “How would we be sure that there was a maximum of eight people living here, presumably eight tenants, but they might have partners who might move in?
Sefton’s planning officer said: “What we can say is that, as with anything like this, there is an element of trust and sincerity in terms of what people say they’re going to do, and that’s what we can legislate for.
“But if it is reported that there is something going on, we’ve got authority to enter and investigate and apply a full range of enforcement hours to stop that and get it back to what was approved.
“But we can’t be there every week, knocking on the door, inspecting all the rooms […] but we hopefully put enough safeguards into this, through permissions, through the management plan and the details they get approved and hope that they comply with.”
However, after the planning application was presented to the chamber, Cllr Daniel McKee put forward a motion looking to block the proposal: “I move we would reject the application of amenity space.”
The chamber voted to carry this motion and the application was duly rejected. The terms of that rejection were subsequently uploaded to Sefton Council’s planning portal on October 16.
The “Refusal Notice” read: “The proposed development fails to provide an adequate level and quality of private, usable outdoor amenity space for future occupiers.
“Poets Park is not a main park and therefore future occupiers do not have access to a park of sufficient size and quality to provide appropriate and acceptable mitigation for the absence of amenity space.”
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