A decision to refuse permission for a house of multiple occupation (HMO) in Gornal has been overturned by a government inspector.

In March Dudley Council said no to an application to change an office building on Holloway Street in Lower Gornal into an HMO for 12 people.

An appeal by CJP Homes Limited to The Planning Inspectorate has been granted meaning the development can now go ahead.

In his adjudication, planning inspector Samuel Watson said: “The proposal would not cause any unacceptable impacts on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers by way of noise, disturbance or loss of privacy.”

The building was formerly The Crown pub before being converted into offices for a swimming pool company.

The original application attracted a large amount of opposition with letters of objection from the then MP for Dudley, Marco Longhi, and five local councillors.

In his letter, Cllr David Stanley said: “I also note that a recommendation in national planning guidelines that a concentration of those HMOs in areas would have a damaging effect on the residential amenity and also in this case on the building opposite which is locally known as Ruiton Chapel and was erected in 1830.”

The proposal also generated 77 letters of objection raising concern about matters including crime, overdevelopment, parking and road safety.

Cllr Damian Corfield, cabinet member for highways, said: “Holloway Street in UpperGornal is already over subscribed with vehicle parking fore this property to be given planning permission for a 12 bed HMO would see an increase of at least 12 vehicles obstructing what is already a bottle neck leading to Vale street and Hill street which is a well known historic accident black spot.” 

Mr Watson however concluded the provision of 14 parking spaces at the site would be sufficient and any additional traffic would not cause extra problems.

He said: “In light of the submissions before me and my observations on site, I find that the modest increase in vehicular movements associated with the site would not cause congestion or traffic to such an extent as to risk the highway safety of the surrounding area.

“The proposal would not increase on-street parking demand or vehicular movements so significantly as to unacceptably affect highway safety.”