Dudley Council has refused an application to build a detached house in multiple occupation (HMO) unit specifically designed for a disabled occupant. The proposed development involved constructing a separate building at the rear of an existing four-bedroom semi-detached HMO on Tansey Green Road, Pensnett.
The existing property has been extended and benefits from parking for two vehicles. The detached unit was planned to offer a 46 square metre space containing a bedroom, shower room, and lounge area. Council planning officers noted that “tea making facilities” were included within the lounge, with an expectation that occupants would rely on the main house’s kitchen for cooking needs.
Concerns were raised regarding accessibility for the disabled occupant, as they would need to traverse a sloped, uneven garden area approximately 15 metres away and pass through a large wooden cycle shed to reach the main kitchen. This raised significant doubts about the unit’s practicality and safety for wheelchair users or those with disabilities.
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The application drew six letters of objection focusing on disabled access challenges, difficulties for emergency and refuse vehicles travelling to the rear via a narrow track, and broader safety and design issues. One resident commented: “The proposal is fundamentally flawed and does not demonstrate safe, practical, or genuinely accessible living facilities for wheelchair users or other disabled occupants. There are serious concerns about accessibility, emergency access, servicing, and compliance with inclusive design principles.”
After consideration, planners concluded that the detached unit’s location, size, separate access, and dependence on shared kitchen facilities rendered it unsuitable as merely an additional HMO bedroom. Instead, it was deemed to effectively create a separate planning unit that constituted inappropriate backland development. Further concerns included the lack of information about how a disabled occupant would access the communal kitchen and the potential loss of privacy for both HMO residents and neighbouring properties.
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