An appeal has been lodged after the council refused to grant planning permission for a new HMO in Durham.

The proposal, which was submitted on March 5 by Mr Steven Argument, aimed to convert a property at 50 Prebends Field, Gilesgate, into a large HMO.

Lodged on November 11, the appeal will be decided through written representations, relying on submitted documents.

Plans included the construction of a two-storey side extension, additional off-street parking, and transforming the existing four-bedroom property into a seven-bedroom HMO.

The application faced 28 objections, with concerns about the over-proliferation of HMOs impacting community cohesion, increased parking demand, noise, and a perceived loss of family housing.

Despite the planning officer recommending approval, the council refused the application on June 18, citing the potential detrimental impact on community cohesion due to noise and anti-social behaviour, as well as adverse effects on the character of the area.

Durham County Council's decision also stated the proposal did not comply with policies in the County Durham Plan and relevant sections of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The applicant has now lodged an appeal, arguing the application adheres to policy, with the HMO concentration well below the 10 percent threshold and also suggesting the proposed development addresses housing shortages, especially for shared accommodations, and claimed that objections relating to anti-social behaviour and community imbalance were speculative and unsupported by evidence.

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The application initially proposed increasing the number of parking spaces from two to four and introducing additional bin storage for refuse and recycling.

Proposed layout of the HMO included two bedrooms, a shared kitchen/living area, and a shower room on the ground floor, with five bedrooms and two additional shower rooms on the first floor.

The property, a detached dwelling with front and rear gardens, was also set to undergo external modifications, including the addition of a two-storey side extension.

Applicants have six months following a refusal decision to appeal the council's choice.