An eight-person house in multiple occupation (HMO) on Mesne Lea Road in Worsley, Walkden, may be granted planning permission despite 100 letters of objection from neighbours and local councillors. The property, owned by Heath Waterhouse who runs a travel agency, would be converted into an eight-bedroom rental with minimal exterior changes.
Proposed layout and facilities
Inside, the house would feature five en-suite bedrooms and a shared kitchen on the ground floor, with three further en-suites on the first floor. An existing outbuilding would be used for storage and cycle parking, while the garage would become a communal laundry room with a washing machine and tumble dryer, supplementing laundry facilities in the main kitchen. No additional parking spaces are proposed, but the existing driveway can accommodate around four vehicles, according to the applicant.
Objections from neighbours and councillors
Neighbours and councillors have raised concerns over traffic, parking, and safety. Many objectors argue that a growing number of HMOs is changing the area's character, reducing stable family housing and weakening community cohesion. They say the proposal is incompatible with the surrounding family-oriented neighbourhood. Others note that nearby roads already have high-density rentals and AirBnBs that have caused issues, including large gatherings sometimes exceeding 200 people. There are fears that another high-turnover or multi-occupancy property could exacerbate these problems.
Councillor Hilaria Asumu expressed concern about the impact on the adjacent Mesne Lea Combined Infant and Primary School. “That school sits immediately adjacent to the site. Yet it does not appear anywhere in the applicant’s planning statement,” she said. “My concern is not about HMOs in principle. It is about whether an eight-bedroom property, housing multiple unrelated occupants, is the right use for a road used every day by young children and their families. That question has not been answered by this applicant, and I believe the panel should require it to be before any decision is made.”
Councillor Ivan Voronov also called for refusal, stating: “It is outrageous that residents objections are being ignored. I have personally objected to this HMO as well.”
Planning officers' recommendation
Despite the objections, planning officers have recommended approval, subject to conditions including added cycle storage. They note that the property is the only HMO within a 100-metre radius, has good public transport links, and that the generous size of the property would be unlikely to cause more issues than a large family living in the same house. An officer wrote: “For these reasons and given the proposed HMO could make a positive contribution towards meeting the housing needs of those requiring lower cost accommodation, the principle of the change of use to provide an eight person HMO is acceptable.”
The application will be discussed by a planning committee meeting on Thursday, July 16.
