Shock revelation about lack of traffic data but Rugby votes through another HMO

The seemingly unstoppable march of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) took a new twist thanks to inspired work by a councillor - but Rugby borough’s lack of a policy remains the big issue.
By Richard Howarth
Published 21st Mar 2023, 12:41 BST
Updated 21st Mar 2023, 12:41 BST
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Growing opposition to the numbers of HMOs in town centre streets led to a bid for a seven-bed unit at 50 Windsor Street being deferred at last month’s planning committee meeting for councillors to undertake a site visit.

As previously reported in the Advertiser, Rugby Borough Council’s lack of a policy to control HMOs means it faces difficulty in rejecting applications for those of more than six bedrooms that need planning permission.

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At the February meeting, Cllr Richard Harrington (Lab, Benn) spoke against the application and said while residents weren’t against HMOs overall, there was concern about their concentration in the town centre wards and that in Windsor Street there were worries over highway safety with potential extra cars and extra pressure on parking.

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The decision to defer a decision on 50 Windsor Street, Rugby, becoming a seven-bedroom HMO gave chance for some surprising discoveries about highway safety data. But when it came to the crunch as the plan went to a vote last week, it was passed 7-4.The decision to defer a decision on 50 Windsor Street, Rugby, becoming a seven-bedroom HMO gave chance for some surprising discoveries about highway safety data. But when it came to the crunch as the plan went to a vote last week, it was passed 7-4.
The decision to defer a decision on 50 Windsor Street, Rugby, becoming a seven-bedroom HMO gave chance for some surprising discoveries about highway safety data. But when it came to the crunch as the plan went to a vote last week, it was passed 7-4.

Committee member Cllr Peter Eccleson (Con, Dunsmore) called into question Cllr Harrington’s claims by highlighting he was not a professional highways person, stressed the county council were the professionals – and they were not against it.

But at last week’s meeting Cllr Harrington hit back.

He said he had responded to Cllr Eccleson’s stance by putting in a Freedom of Information request for data from the body Cllr Eccleson had identified as experts – the county council.

And Cllr Harrington said it was ‘staggering’ to discover the county council had removed its original objection to the scheme but had no data to underpin that decision.

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In the subsequent debate, committee vice-chair Cllr Tim Willis (Con, Wolston and the Lawfords) added his frustration at the situation.

He said: “I think we’ve been here before in terms of the highway authority issues. I do wonder if we do need to follow this up again in terms of the information we are receiving from highways to make these decisions.”

He aired the possibility of deferring again but with officers highlighting the applicant had done a traffic survey - and with committee chair Cllr Tony Gillias (Con, Revel and Binley Woods) urging committee members to consider the issue that had brought it before them was the fact of the seventh bedroom – the application was put to the vote and approved 7-4.

Related topics:RugbyHMO