A planning application for a family home to be turned into a six-bedroom house of multiple occupancy (HMO) at 27 Tandragee Road, Portadown, has finally been approved, despite reservations from some councillors, and strong objections from nearby residents.
The planning application raised concerns as far back as last January, when the matter was discussed at an ABC Planning & Regulatory Services committee meeting, and in the course of subsequent meetings since then, due to the number of HMOs already in existence in that part of Portadown.
The matter having been deferred, it was mentioned again at a committee meeting on November 6, for final consideration.
The planning application was lodged in April 2021 by Collins and Collins Architectural Consultant, Newry, on behalf of Geoffrey Dougan who lives at that Portadown address.
ABC principal Planning officer, Roisin Hamill told committee members: “This application seeks full planning permission for a change of use from a dwelling to a six-bedroom house of multiple occupancy at 27 Tandragee Road, Portadown.
“Members will recall this application has previously been presented to committee, most recently in June, where it was agreed that the application be deferred to allow officers to request more information from the PSNI in relation to accidents that have taken place in this section of the Tandragee Road in the last five years.
“The PSNI has confirmed that in the last five years there have been two slight collisions which resulted in four slight injuries along this stretch of the road.
“Officers remain of the view that this proposal complies with the SPPS (Strategic Planning Policy Statement) and all other relevant planning policies, and the application is being presented back to committee with an unchanged recommendation to approve.
“There are no external alterations to the building. The existing dining room to the front is being converted to a bedroom.”
Cllr Mary O’Dowd (Sinn Féin, Lurgan DEA) commented: “There were a number of objections to this but I can see by going down the report, you have answered every one of the objections. I just think it’s a great report.”
Cllr Kyle Moutray (DUP, Portadown DEA) still had concerns regarding the planning application, however he explained that any decision had to be based on the evidence being presented as part of the planning report: “Thank Roisin, this has been a long, drawn-out process. It’s dragged on probably longer than we would have hoped.
“As a Portadown councillor who’s very familiar with the area, I just wanted to do due diligence in terms of looking at the road accident history and the parking survey, because I know that the Tandragee Road is an area where congestion and road safety is a real problem.
“We have now been furnished with that detail from both the police and from Roads Service, and as members we have to be led by that.
“In the last five years – it’s here from both the police and Roads Service – the accident history is only two incidents and four slight injuries.
“It’s one of those sticky situations. Quite often you will get road traffic collisions and they’re not [recorded] as part of this evidence.
“I know less than two months ago there was a collision at Annaghdale Place, the junction there going out onto the Tandragee Road, but that was dealt with privately.
“It just goes to show that this is a busy road. It’s one of the most problematic roads in all of Portadown, but as members we do have to be led by the evidence that is before us.”
The recommendation to approve the planning application was proposed by Cllr O’Dowd and seconded by Cllr Kyle Moutray.
A total of 11 letters of objections were sent by neighbours. Comments included the following: “There will be an impact on parking, and traffic on the road which is already congested at peak times, and with limited space for residents to park”;
“This road is very bad with double parking and hard to access footpath with prams, an accident waiting to happen”;
“There are already three other houses in the row which have been converted into multiple occupancy, and this is already far too many”;
“We are pensioners and we wish to live in a safe and peaceful environment, and applications such as this make us ponder our own future in an area that is rapidly declining due to ongoing issues”.
