10-person Telford HMO plans pulled after council raises traffic and bat concerns

Plans to demolish a Telford bungalow and build a two storey HMO for 10 people in its place have been withdrawn after officials raised concerns.

The planning agent for applicant Nazir Hussain, of Arleston, confirmed that the proposal for Mill Bank, Wellington, would be withdrawn and put through the pre-application process to iron out issues.

Planners at Telford & Wrekin Council raised a number of "fundamental concerns".

Ecologists had called for bat survey work but this can't be done this year.

Meanwhile highways officials wanted clarification on access and told the agent EMS Design, of Market Drayton, that the area often experiences congestion.

Officers wrote that the proposal would increase vehicle movements at the access posing some safety concern.

They pointed out that a proposed relocation of the site access needed to take into account utilities.

An objection was also lodged by the council's built heritage specialist over the plans for an additional storey.

Planners told the agent that even if all other concerns were addressed they would not be able to support it or go beyond deadlines because the bat survey work would "take us into next year."

Wellington Town Council had raised concerns of overdevelopment and the "lack of suitable on and off road parking with the potential of an extra 10 vehicles at the property."

A neighbour wrote of Mill Bank being "over-saturated with cars.

"The fumes are toxic, there is even a sign saying that Mill Bank is one of the most polluted streets in Telford.

"If we add another 10 vehicles, then that would make Mill Bank even more toxic."

They added: "The garden has already been turned into a rubbish dump, what’s the guarantee that the new house will be better?"

Planning permission had previously been granted for a vertical extension to the existing bungalow to create a six-bedroom HMO.

But the existing foundations were found to be "inadequate to support the proposed additional storey."

So they went back to the drawing board and instead proposed demolition and replacement with a new, purpose designed two-storey building with a slightly larger footprint.