Residents win battle against 'beautiful house' becoming Hartlepool's latest HMO

Proposals were submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council planning department earlier this year to convert 10 Park Square into a nine-bedroom HMO.

However alterations were later made to reduce the number of planned rooms to eight.

Submitted by Sono Properties, the application stated the development would see “bedsit studios” provided at the existing house, each with an en-suite.

Shared kitchen, dining and living rooms were also planned, with documents adding the site is “within an elegant residential square” and the proposed use remained the same, providing housing for residents in Hartlepool.

Yet council planners have now confirmed the application has been withdrawn by the applicant.

During the council’s consultation on the plans 12 objections were received from residents living nearby.

Concerns raised included the potential for increased anti-social behaviour in the area, traffic and parking problems and there already being too many HMOs nearby.

HMOs refer to properties such as a house split into separate bedsits, a shared house/flat or a hostel.

One resident commented they did not want to see the “beautiful house ruined”.

A response from Cleveland Police also stated the “change of use could result in further crime and antisocial behaviour in the locality”.

It comes after plans were also recently withdrawn for a seven-person house HMO for “working professionals” in Grange Road, which faced more than 15 objections.

Those proposals were withdrawn due to the sale of the property falling through, according to planning agent Studio Charrette.