Previous plans had been abandoned because they weren’t cost-effective
2 Central Road, in Hugglescote.(Image: Google)
A controversial scheme to build a 10-bedroom HMO on a busy Coalville crossroads has been approved. Local councillors had objected to the plan at 2 Central Road over parking and safety concerns.
The permission means a new-build property designed for shared accommodation will be constructed on the corner plot opposite the village community centre. The scheme replaces an earlier proposal for four self-contained flats which was abandoned following a financial review that found it would not be viable.
The permission was granted by North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) on Tuesday, December 9. However, concerns had been raised by Hugglescote and Donington le Heath Parish Council.
The parish council had warned the location was on a “busy and dangerous and congested crossroads” with “no off-street parking and very limited on-street provision”. Clerk Simon Weaver said waste collection would “cause a road hazard as any refuse freighter will have to stop on the crossroads”.
Parish councillors said the proposal represented “a significant intensification of use” and the scale of occupation was “excessive relative to the available land area”. They added the development would have “a negative impact, affecting the neighbourhood character”.
The district council said its planning officers had put in special requirements to address the parish councillors’ worries. Planning documents state that before anyone can move in, details of food waste storage and collection areas must be approved by NWLDC, with bin storage and collection points provided in accordance with approved plans.
Conditions are also in place on the grounds of bike storage, with documents revealing: “The development hereby permitted shall not be occupied until such time as secure and under cover cycle parking has been provided. Thereafter the on-site cycle parking provision shall be kept available for such use in perpetuity.”
The planning document adds: “No more than 10 people shall reside at the property at any one time.”
The new HMO will be arranged over two floors with a side entrance leading to a hallway and staircase. Two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms are positioned on the ground floor, alongside communal kitchen, dining and lounge areas, plus a third bedroom.
Further bedrooms with en-suite facilities will be located on the upper floors. The development will include outdoor amenity space to the rear, covered bin storage, secure cycle parking, and soft landscaping with shrubs and trees along the boundaries.
A swift nesting box will be installed on the building’s exterior to enhance biodiversity. Planning consultant Khuram Ghufar, of AK Innovative Design Solution Ltd, said the scheme addresses growing demand for affordable shared accommodation for young professionals, key workers and individuals requiring flexible living arrangements.
In its approval of the scheme, NWLDC said the development would “contribute positively towards meeting the diverse housing needs of the Coalville area”. The site is located close to Coalville town centre with access to local shops, public transport and community amenities.
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