A REJECTED plan to add another room to a city HMO could still be allowed to go ahead after an appeal was launched.

The plan would see another room built at an existing six-room house of multiple occupation (HMO) in Stainburn Close in Worcester.

Worcester City Council planners rejected the plan earlier this year saying adding an extra room would make the HMO too cramped for the people living there as well as cause disruption for neighbours.

One objector in Stainburn Close said: “We are concerned about the parking in our close. We already have an HMO in our road which requires six parking spaces.

“Four cars are parked on the drive but this requires two or three additional cars being parked on the road.

“There is a turning circle which is regularly blocked. We also have a school opposite which means that parents and teachers also park in our close.”

An appeal by applicant Bidsid has been lodged with the government’s planning inspectorate in an attempt to have the decision overturned.

Several neighbours opposed the plan before it was rejected by the city council with residents fearing that allowing more people to live in the HMO would add to parking problems in the residential area.

A report outlining the council’s refusal said: “The desire to have seven HMO bedrooms would result in inadequate space internally within the existing dwelling to support level of occupation in the property in a positive manner.

“The communal area of the kitchen and garden area is limited, and the more intensive use of the property would lead to a negative impact for residents and neighbouring property and cause harm to their amenity.

“The area is suburban in character predominantly with family dwellings in the local urban environment.

“The impact, in terms of noise and activity of the residents of the seven-bedroom HMO, would be in excess of the adjoining three-bedroom dwelling and other nearby properties and likely to cause noise and disturbance thereby harming their amenity to such a degree it would be harmful.”