Plans to convert the former Citizen’s Advice Bureau at Marlborough House, St James’s Road, Dudley, into a 13-bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO) were overwhelmingly rejected by the borough’s Planning Committee. The decision, made at the meeting on 28 July, followed concerns raised by West Midlands Police regarding the site’s location within a high-crime area and the absence of a comprehensive security management plan in the application.
Councillor Ivor Robinson, representing St James’s ward, expressed that residents had voiced significant worries about the proposal. He highlighted the considerable policing demand in the area and emphasised that crime prevention is a material planning consideration. “We should not be approving development that has the potential to place further pressure on an area already facing these challenges,” he stated.
The Planning Committee had considered imposing a condition that would prevent occupancy until an approved security management plan was in place. However, this was insufficient to alleviate concerns among members. Councillor Peter Drake voiced strong reservations about public safety, noting that the police classify the area as high demand and high crime within Dudley. “There is a risk by putting a 13-bed HMO there that it will inevitably make it riskier,” he remarked.
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In contrast, Councillor Asif Ahmed emphasised that the quality of HMOs largely depends on their management. He welcomed the inclusion of a security plan condition and cautioned against assumptions about residents, saying, “Not everybody in an HMO is a criminal; my best friend at university lived in an HMO for four years.” He urged that decisions be based solely on planning considerations rather than assumptions.
Despite reassurances that there was no evidence to suggest future residents would commit crimes, the committee voted to reject the application over concerns related to the potential for increased crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.
The decision reflects ongoing challenges in balancing housing needs with community safety priorities in areas with existing policing demands.
“We should not be approving development that has the potential to place further pressure on an area already facing these challenges.” – Cllr Ivor Robinson
For further information on local planning matters and public notices, residents are encouraged to consult the Public Notices Portal.