Plans to turn two historic buildings in Long Sutton into HMOs (Houses of Multiple Occupation) have been refused.
South Holland District Council officers used delegated decisions to refuse the plans for both the Grade II listed former Barclay’s bank and Brenchley House in West Street.
Developer IMN properties planned to create nine two person rooms, a one bedroom room and a bedsit for 39 West Street as well as three two person rooms and five one person rooms in number 43.
Despite the proposal being that 31 people live in the properties, the plans only included four vehicle parking spaces, though the application looks to have been refused even before officers asked Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways department for its thoughts.
That’s because the planning officer’s report refusing the application says the Heritage Impact Assessment ‘lacked detail’ and the applicant had not ‘adequately assessed the impact’ on the historical buildings.
Long Sutton Parish Council was among those who objected. They also held a public meeting into the plans.
A spokesman said the authority was ‘extremely pleased’.
“For once the voices of the public have been heard when in the past their objections and concerns regarding planning and other issues has fell on deaf ears,” a statement from the council said. “The meeting bought to the fore residents concerns regarding the lack of implementing the Listed Buildings and Conservation legislation which has seen a decline in the historical buildings and town centres not only in Long Sutton but also Holbeach and Spalding robbing the communities of their identity and history.”
