Fears over 'bins, fly-tipping and rats' as new HMO gets green light despite dozens of objections

Plans to convert a ‘Victorian villa’ into a ten bedroom shared house in Stalybridge have been approved despite concerns the area is ‘saturated’ with HMOs. Tameside’s planning committee has given the green light to plans for a six bedroom, three storey house on Stamford Street to be converted into a house in multiple occupation (HMO).

However the proposals divided councillors, with concerns raised about bin storage causing a ‘hazard’ on the road. There had been 26 objections lodged against the proposals, with one letter of support. Councillor Christine Beardmore, who represents Stalybridge North ward, addressed the meeting to speak against the application.

She said: “On Norman Road which is an adjacent street, there are already two HMOs. And they are six and seven bedrooms. This has an impact on parking and obviously bins.

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“On Stamford Street there is an HMO of ten bedrooms and as councillors we have had to deal with a lot of issues around bins, fly-tipping and rats. From that point of view I think we are at saturation point at this place.

“Both streets adjacent to the property are chock-a-block with parking. I do not know where the bins are going to go in this property.”

Head of planning Melanie Hale said: “It’s a prominent location, it’s on the outskirts of the town centre. It’s in a state of disrepair and is being renovated at the moment. It’s a large building that can accommodate the number of units being proposed and there is a need in this part of the housing market.”

She said the bin storage would be within