The Planning Committee of Melton Council met on Thursday 09 July 2026 to consider a planning application for a change of use at 34 Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray. The meeting's agenda also included the confirmation of previous minutes and the declaration of any interests.

Application at 34 Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray

The committee was scheduled to consider a planning application for a change of use at 34 Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0HR. The proposal was to change the use of the detached two-storey dwelling to a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) comprising ten bedrooms. The applicant, Mr Harry Phillips of Aspbury Planning, sought permission for this conversion.

The report pack indicated that the property is a large detached red brick building with a slate roof, set back from the road with a small walled front garden and a rear courtyard garden. The area surrounding the property has limited on-street parking, with permit-holder restrictions in place. The site is located on the corner of Cottesmore Avenue and the A6006 (Asfordby Road), with a veterinary practice opposite and The Grove Primary School and Brooksby Melton College to the south and southeast.

External alterations proposed were limited to the removal of a first-floor and ground-floor window from the rear elevation. The ground floor would include a shared kitchen/diner, a small kitchen, and four bedrooms, each with en-suite facilities. The first floor would accommodate six bedrooms, also with en-suite facilities. The smallest proposed bedrooms were noted to be 8.5 square metres. The development included plans for four car parking spaces within the rear courtyard and a bicycle rack for four bicycles.

The report pack highlighted that the application was presented to the committee due to receiving more than 10 letters of objection, which were contrary to the officer's recommendation. Concerns raised by neighbours included inadequate parking, highway safety, impact on residential amenity (noise, disturbance, potential for crime and anti-social behaviour), and the over-intensification of the site. Some residents also expressed concerns about the size of certain rooms and the lack of a proven need for HMOs in the area, suggesting a greater demand for family homes.

The report pack indicated that the principle of development was accepted, as the site was not located within an established employment site and therefore not required to be retained for employment purposes. It was noted that the applicant would be required to hold a licence to operate a HMO of this scale, a separate requirement from planning procedures.

Regarding character and appearance, the report stated that the proposed change of use would not impact the building's appearance, which should be preserved. The minimal external alterations were considered acceptable.

In terms of highways and parking, the proposal included private car parking for four cars and a bicycle rack for four bicycles. While ordinarily ten car parking spaces might be expected, the report suggested that the shortfall was not considered to cause a severe impact on the surrounding highway network due to the site's edge of centre location and the availability of alternative transport modes. A condition was proposed to ensure secure and covered cycle parking for ten bicycles.

The report also addressed the impact on residential amenity, noting that while the intensification of use as a HMO could increase the potential for noise and light impacts, these were considered acceptable. Environmental Health had recommended conditions to control external lighting and any external plant or ventilation equipment to mitigate noise and disturbance. The report concluded that the proposed development would have no unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenity.

The recommendation within the report pack was to APPROVE the application, subject to conditions detailed in section 10 of the report. These conditions included requirements for the development to begin within three years, adherence to approved plans, the use of matching external materials, provision of secure cycle parking, provision of the four car parking spaces, and controls on external lighting and plant equipment. A note to the applicant was also recommended, advising them of the requirement to obtain a licence as a House in Multiple Occupation under the Housing Act 2004 prior to occupation.

Other Agenda Items

The agenda also included standard procedural items such as apologies for absence, confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting held on 18 June 2026, and declarations of interest. There was also an item scheduled for urgent business, should the Chair deem any matters to be urgent.