Four months after proposals for a 35-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) were refused, the owners of St Joseph's House in Childwall have submitted new plans, prompting renewed opposition from nearby residents and a local councillor.
In July, a retrospective planning proposal for a 35-bed HMO at St Joseph's House on Woolton Road was turned down. The owners had applied to Liverpool City Council (LCC) for "continued use", but officials rejected the plan, citing poor living conditions at the property.
Previous application refused over living conditions
A retrospective planning application to change the use from student accommodation to a 35-bedroom HMO was submitted on April 1 by a company called Donna Properties. According to the planning officer report, the application related to a part two storey, part single storey detached building, located on Woolton Road, Childwall, within a primarily residential area.
The report confirms the original 'work/change of use' was completed in September 2014, adding: "The agent has stated that when the building was purchased in 2014 that some students resided at the property but mainly non-students resided at the property."
The city council claims the change of use was implemented without consent, however, the building has had various HMO licenses over the years, the last expiring in 2025, according to reports.
Citing the reasons for refusing the previous application, the officer noted: "The proposed living conditions for existing/future residents are/would be poor by reason of poor light and outlook to bedrooms 5-17, 28-32, 35 and the ground floor kitchen/dining areas; poor levels of privacy to bedrooms 7-12; lack of communal lounges/living areas; and too many people per kitchen."
New application for Certificate of Lawfulness
Donna Properties has now submitted a new application for St Joseph's House, this time for a Certificate of Lawfulness, which has prompted renewed calls for LCC to reject the plan, including opposition from Cllr Liz Makinson.
The My Liverpool 18 Facebook page, a social media account run by local councillors representing the Liberal Democrats, said permission was granted in 2012 to use the building as student accommodation, but for several years the owners have instead used it as an HMO without planning permission.
The post said: "The owners have instead now submitted a application for a certificate to continue operating the HMO, claiming that they have got away with using the building for more than 10 years, meaning that the council cannot refuse permission."
The ECHO met Cllr Makinson just outside St Joseph's House and she said the owners were trying to "game the system" and fully expects the council to refuse the latest application, adding: "It's not suitable accommodation [for a HMO], and we are trying to stop that.
"[...] I'm not against the principle of an HMO, but you've got to provide a decent standard of accommodation for the people who are living in it, and a decent number of communal spaces. Having three kitchens for 35 flats is ridiculous."
Resident and owner responses
Also in attendance outside St Joseph's House was local resident Mike Lockett, who also opposes the application, commenting on the lack of fairness in the property being used as an HMO, despite never going through the planning process. He said he acquired his nearby house on the understanding St Joseph's would be used for student accommodation, knowing that it would be quiet, and largely unused for much of the year.
Mike said: "All I want is a peaceful life. We've looked at other options, and we've put the fence up to try and blank [the building] out.
"The council won't allow us to cut a hole in the curtailed wall to have our own entrance, so we've complied with the planning, but these HMOs are not doing that.
"Some HMOs are being sat for years, without planning permission, some without licenses, and then applying for a Certificate of Lawfulness after ten years.
"[...] They have to adhere to the regulations put down by Liverpool Council, as everybody else does."
Responding to questions about the new application and the opposition to it, Donna Properties representative Peter Crank told the ECHO the owners bought the property on the understanding it was an HMO building, and said it has been used as an HMO ever since. The owners contracted a management company which takes care of the day-to-day running of the site, including maintenance and rent payments.
Mr Crank said: "We took control of the building in 2024 and that's when we asked for the HMO license to be renewed in our company name, and they [LCC] gave us a HMO [license] for one year and since then they have informed us that we need to get planning permission because the [is] only for students [apparently], even though it's been used as a full HMO and has been charged council tax just like any other HMO building, and student buildings are exempt from this.
"I believe that there's a good reason for the confusion about the use of the building due to this fact."
