Plans to convert a Durham house into a HMO have been approved by the council despite concerns that there are already too many in the city.

A three-bedroom house at 3 Aspen Close, Gilesgate Moor, will be transformed into a four-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

The proposal was submitted by Mr John Byrne, who plans to extend the driveway and provide cycle storage as part of the conversion.

The application was approved by Durham County Council on Wednesday, subject to specific conditions.

These include the submission of a soundproofing scheme to prevent excessive noise, a tenant management plan to manage disturbances and anti-social behaviour, and the construction of secure cycle parking prior to occupancy.

The property will be limited to four occupants and construction works are restricted to specified hours.

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Concerns were raised by Ms Melanie Tyson, a resident of Aspen Close alongside other residents of the street, about the small size of the proposed bedrooms, potential traffic and parking issues, and the impact on community cohesion due to transient HMO residents.

She also highlighted the loss of family housing, the removal of a tree and plants from the front garden, potential internet access issues due to increased demand, and ongoing roof disrepair and rat problems.

Cllr Christine Fletcher and Belmont Parish Council also objected to the proposal, citing concerns over the growing number of HMOs in the area, the impact on parking and highway safety, and questioning the need for more student accommodation.

The council's committee report, however, found the proposal to be in line with several policies.

The concentration of HMOs within a 100m radius of the property was found to be 6.5 per cent, below the 10 per cent threshold, allowing for the approval.

The proposal also complied with parking requirements and internal space standards.

Durham's planning committee concluded that the proposal would not unbalance the local community or cause significant harm to residential amenity or highway safety.