52 room bedsit plan for Blackburn homeless shelter refused

Ascot-based Hayhill Care 1 Ltd wanted to convert Union House in St Peter Street - a former homeless shelter - into 52 bedsits.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council has rejected the firm's planning application, which said the proposed accommodation would be suitable for students at the town's nearby college.

In May 2023, the authority closed the premises as a 44-bed homeless hostel due to poor living conditions in the building, which dates back to 1900.

Now the council, which in July 2022 launched a clampdown on bedsit HMOs in a bid to stop people with 'chaotic lifestyles' flooding the borough, has refused the proposal to reuse the building.

The decision is on the grounds it contravenes that policy and fails to demonstrate a need arising from the requirements of people in Blackburn with Darwen.

It added the use will lead to an unwarranted increase in the level of demand for public support services.

The refusal notice also says the bedsits would not provide satisfactory living conditions for their occupants, and the proposed parking provision would be inadequate.

The scheme generated three objections from the public on grounds including:

• HMOs have a history of providing inadequate living conditions linked to overcrowding, lack of privacy, poor maintenance and sub-standard facilities;
• Large-scale HMOs place additional pressure on local services, including healthcare, emergency response teams and social support networks;
• The proposal risks placing individuals in an environment where they may struggle to access basic amenities and support networks;
• Communities with a high concentration of HMOs frequently experience anti-social behaviour and poorer health outcomes; and
• The applicant has no track record in providing suitable housing.

The leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council's main opposition 4BwD group, Cllr Mustafa Desai, said: "The decision prioritises maintaining a balanced community and protecting residents' quality of life."

Conservative planning spokesperson Cllr Paul Marrow added: " This is the right decision."

A planning officer's report recommending refusal said: "The site is a vacant building located at the corner of Freckleton Street and St Peter Street and adjacent to Wainwright Way.

"The last use of the building was as a homeless shelter.

"The property is of red brick construction with slate roofing.

"The building has an ‘L’ shaped footprint and principally provides accommodation over three floors, though a two-storey section links what was originally two separate blocks.

"A single-storey extension has also been added to the north of the plot.

"The site is surrounded by a variety of commercial uses along Freckleton Street and Wainwright Way.

"Six commercial units are currently under construction on the land adjoining the northern boundary of the application site.

"Blackburn with Darwen borough already hosts a disproportionate number of large HMOs, and there is currently a lack of evidence that there is a local requirement for additional HMO bedspaces in the borough to meet local housing need.

"Most of the borough's current HMOs are all within relatively close proximity to each other, with the Union House property central to those.

"Large HMOs can be difficult to manage due to their size and the often chaotic, vulnerable and complex nature of the residents they accommodate.

"While the planning statement refers to potential demand from students undertaking courses at Blackburn University Centre, there is no evidence presented that a demand exists amongst this cohort for single-person affordable housing, nor any indication of the likely costs that would render it affordable.

"The cumulative impact of HMOs within the borough includes concerns relating to housing standards and market, social cohesion, crime and anti-social behaviour, growth, investment and regeneration."