DESPITE the objections and safety concerns expressed by residents and neighbours, Thurrock Council planning officers have granted permission for the expansion of a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in Tilbury – but have not given a reason.

The application to increase the capacity of the premises at 133 Dock Road, and residents' concerns, was reported on Thurrock Nub News early last month.

Residents highlighted their concerns about increased parking problems and mentioned safety concerns around nearby schools – the residence is in close proximity to St Mary's RC and Lansdowne Road primaries. They also highlighted environmental issues involving the property.

However, those concerns were discarded, without public explanation so far, and the council told the applicant Daneila More of the approval last week. However, despite an obligation to post reasons on its planning portal, the council had not done so.

The property can now be expanded from six bedrooms to seven, with the addition of a new double room. The structural changes for a rear extension and loft conversion were outlined in a submission by Planning agents Dimensions Ltd in July for a rear extension and loft conversion.

The matter was considered by officers, not councillors.

Resident Tamar Harrod, who lives next door to the property, was one of the complainants and explained the impact the HMO is having on neighbours before expansion, which she vehemently opposed.

She said: "As the occupier of the adjoining property, I experience first-hand the impact this HMO has on the surrounding area. I am extremely concerned that increasing the property to seven bedrooms will further intensify its use and have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring residents.

"My primary concern is parking. Parking is already at capacity on Dock Road and the surrounding streets, with residents regularly struggling to find available spaces. The proposal will increase the potential number of occupants and is therefore likely to increase the demand for on-street parking.

"The property is not eligible for resident parking permits, meaning occupants rely on surrounding roads to park their vehicles. This displaces parking into neighbouring streets and places additional pressure on parking that is already in short supply for local residents.

"There is already evidence of the impact this property has had. The couple who previously occupied the room that is now proposed to become a double bedroom had three vehicles between them, including a recovery truck with a low loader, which occupied a considerable amount of on-street parking.

"This demonstrates the significant impact even one additional household within the HMO can have on the availability of parking."

"Another resident of Dock Road, Claire Brown, confirmed the adverse impact of the HMO has had on the neighbourhood in terms of parking and said: "In our row of terraced houses there is already an issue with parking.

"Many of us struggle to get parking for our cars that we pay for permits for. This is only going to increase the burden. There are already six residents of this address that park in the surrounding roads.

"Roads that are often dangerously overcrowded at school drop off and pick up times. I would ask that you consider the impact this will have on our small row of houses and our surrounding neighbours."

Residents have also highlighted problems with waste disposal and collection and the impact on the street scene.

Planning officers also appear to have discarded advice from their own highways team which was a statutory consultee and said: "Our current parking standards PMD8 require two off-street parking spaces for an HMO together with secure and covered cycle storage." Highways officers called on the applicants to amend the submission.

The applicants' design and planning statement (which can be read in full from the link below) addressed the issue of lack of parking by saying: "In response to the highways consultation comments requesting two off street parking spaces, it is noted that the Thurrock parking standard under Policy PMD8 requires a minimum of two parking spaces for a dwelling with two or more bedrooms.

"The property has never provided any off street parking, either in its original use as a C3 dwellinghouse or in its current lawful use as a C4 HMO.

"The standard was not applied or enforced at either stage.

"It would be unreasonable to require the provision of two off street parking spaces as a consequence of adding one additional occupant to an existing HMO use, particularly where the site has no frontage capable of accommodating off street parking. "

Highways officers also referred to 'secure and covered cycle storage' in their expression of concern but the applicants say that is provided, though any cycles would have to be taken through the property to the fully enclosed back yard.