Plans for a Twelve Bedroomed HMO submitted for former social club

The NALGO club in Hartlepool closed in 2023, theres now plans for the owners to turn it into a House of Multiple Occupation

16th August 2024

(Author : HBC Exposed)

Plans have been submitted which could see a former Social Club transformed into a 12 bedroomed house of multiple occupation.

Hartlepool Borough Councils received plans from Ascend Property Ltd for a change of use on the former NALGO Social Club in the towns Westbourne Road which closed in Janurary 2023 into a house of multiple occupation, however its likely the plans could come up against strong objections from the local community.

In addition to a number of alterations to the building to facilitate the redevelopment of the site, HMO’s (or Houses of Multiple Occupation) are generally controversial in their nature, particulally in towns such as Hartlepool.

Several sites earmarked for conversion into HMO’s in the past have come up against strong public backlash against the local council which in 2023 was declared an authority of no public confidence, following claims many of the properties are ‘poorly managed’, attract Anti Social Behaviour, being used to house migrants, or generally not wanted in the community due to the additional burdens on parking in some of the towns more built up areas....

In support of the application to the council, the applicants claim that Special attention's been made to ensure that each bedroom passes the council’s HMO guideline while providing spaces which aim at young professionals.

The applicants claim this will 'breathe new life' into the existing ground floor while respecting the existing property.

According to the plans, Each bedroom will have its own en-suite with a large amounts of communal spaces.

The proposals also detail that the HMO will have a waste store and cycle store to the rear with ample parking spaces.

A decision on the proposals is expected to be made in around October of this year, unless objections are made from the local community leading to the plans having to be put before a council planning committee for a final decision.

Planning Ref H/2024/0194