The North Northamptonshire Council Planning Committee met on Wednesday 6 August 2025 to discuss and vote on a planning application for a change of use of a property in Rushden. Councillors voted to approve the application for the change of use of 69 Wellingborough Road, Rushden from a dwelling house to a nine-person HMO¹, subject to conditions.

Wellingborough Road HMO Application

Councillors voted to approve planning application NE/24/01169/FUL for the change of use of 69 Wellingborough Road, Rushden, from a dwelling house (Use Class C3²) to a nine-person HMO (sui generis³), including internal and external alterations, bin storage, car parking and bicycle storage.

The committee voted to approve the application, subject to conditions, including:

• The development must begin within three years.
• The development must be carried out in accordance with the approved plans.
• The property must not be occupied by more than nine people at any one time.
• The dropped kerb to the front of the site must be reinstated to its original full height.
• Cycle parking must be provided for 10 bicycles.
• The boundary treatments enclosing the front garden must be implemented.
• No fences, gates or walls shall be erected, demolished or altered within the curtilage of the dwelling forward of any wall of that dwellinghouse which fronts onto a road.

The application was brought to the committee because more than five objections were received, and the application was recommended for approval.

Proposal

The proposal is for a change of use from a dwelling house to a large HMO for up to nine occupants. The proposed plans show seven bedrooms on the ground floor, each with an en-suite, and two bedrooms on the first floor, also with en-suites. The kitchen and communal area would measure 36m². An area of private amenity space measuring 24m² is proposed to the rear and side of the building. A cycle store would provide storage for ten cycles. No car parking is proposed on site.

Amended plans have been received showing the proposed boundary treatments to the front garden which would prevent vehicles being parked on the site itself.

Site Description

The application site is located on the southern side of Wellingborough Road, within the built-up area of Rushden. The site is set towards the end of a residential-led arterial road and roundabout junction. The site comprises a detached former chapel that is 1.5 storeys in height, extending deep into the plot with a dual-pitched roof running from the front to the rear. The building is currently boarded up and appears vacant. The building has most recently been used as a dwelling although it is evident that works carried out to the building since its use as a chapel have been minimal.

Objections

Eight objections were received, raising concerns about:

• Anti-social behaviour and the impact on residential amenity.
• Overdevelopment and too many bedrooms being sought.
• Poor amenity for future occupiers, with rooms being small and cramped.
• Highways safety concerns due to parked vehicles blocking the highway.
• Lack of on-street parking.
• Loss of dropped kerb to the front of the site harming pedestrians' ability to cross the road there.
• The site being located on a busy roundabout.

Relevant Planning Policies and Considerations

The report considered the North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (Part 1) (2016), East Northamptonshire Local Plan (Part 2) (2023), and Rushden Neighbourhood Plan.

The report stated that the application is for a residential use in the built-up area of Rushden, and as a matter of principle, residential use in this location is already accepted, especially given the existing use is also residential in nature. The development plan also contains no policies which protect dwellings in a C3 use from loss nor which govern where houses in multiple occupation are acceptable; there is therefore no policy basis to resist the proposed change of use in principle. The proposal therefore complies with the development plan in this regard.

The report also noted that the applicant is intent on bringing the building into use as an HMO and they could change the use of the building to a C4 HMO⁴, which can serve up to six separate households, without the need to seek planning approval.

Conclusion

The report concluded that the proposed development accords with the relevant national and local policies and guidance and should be approved, subject to conditions.