Westcliff: Appeal lodged over plans for 15-bed HMO

Earlier this year the council threw out the plans for the old Anchor Hotel, in Cobham Road, Westcliff, over fears a rising number of bedsits would make the area a “no-go” zone.

However, the applicant, Ben Adler, has now lodged an appeal with the Government’s Planning Inspectorate in an effort to get the decision overturned.

Conservative leader, James Courtenay, councillor for Chalkwell, raised concerns of the number of houses of multiple occupancy in “close proximity” which could lead to an increase in antisocial behaviour.

He said: “I hope the planning inspector backs our decision.

“As a ward councillor, I am not against HMOs, but the area has a lot of HMOs in close proximity, and a lot of these are significant in size.

“That really does change the make up of the area. There is a lot more cars, more waste, and schools places needed.

“It often also brings absence landlords, a lot more complaints around noise as well as anti-social behaviour and drug taking.

“It is wrong to tar everyone with the same brush, but when you have 15 different family units in one property, it is 15 times the chance of an issue.

“The biggest problem at the moment is the clustering of HMOs in the Chalkwell ward, rather than them being spread out across the city.”

Planning officers had initially recommended the plans for approval but the development control committee went against the recommendation and rejected the application.

An application to turn the three-storey building into a children’s home in 2019 was refused on the grounds that it would mean a loss of visitor accommodation.

In 2022, plans to turn the building, close to The Leas Conservation Area, into an HMO were also refused for the same reason and because of “poor living conditions” for prospective tenants.

If the planning inspector approves the appeal, it could be the latest in a series of HMOs to spring up in the area.