Cheshire East has given the go-ahead for two Crewe flats to be converted into a six-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) four months after refusing a previous application for the scheme.

The proposal to convert the end-of terrace building at 523 West Street into an HMO was put before the southern planning committee after being referred by Crewe St Barnabas councillor, James Pratt (Conservative).

Cllr Pratt had argued nothing had fundamentally changed to address the reasons for the previous refusal.

Crewe St Barnabas councillor, James Pratt (Conservative) (Photo: CEC).

But the committee was told by planning officer Daniel Evans those reasons, which included ceiling height for one bedroom and the lack of a window – had been addressed by the new application.

And a supporter of the proposal, Hayley Cooper, said there was a desperate need for good quality HMOs in Crewe.

Ms Cooper told the meeting: "There is a rental crisis happening in every city in the UK, and Crewe is no exception."

She said when she last let a property she had more than 60 applicants and that was the norm.

She added single people were finding it most difficult to rent because they had no opportunity to share bills and rental costs.

"This is where an HMO such as this becomes the perfect option, often the only affordable option," Ms Cooper told the meeting.

Five councillors voted for approval on the Crewe HMO plan, with one against and two abstaining (Photo: CEC).

"This property will become an exceptional place to live with generous living accommodation, en-suite bathrooms for everyone to maintain privacy and dignity and a large kitchen-diner and outside space."

Cllr Roger Morris (Crewe Central, Conservative), said, for him, 'the negatives outweighed the positives' and he didn't think anything had really changed since the previous application.

"I'm totally against, to be quite honest," he said.

"I think a six-person HMO in a terraced house, I just feel it's over-development."

Cllr Joy Bratherton (Crewe, Labour), said: "I think the biggest sadness when we get an HMO in front of us is the fact that we do not have enough social housing.

"We do not have enough social flats, accommodation for the people who need that type of housing at a cost that they can actually afford.

Crewe Central councillor, Roger Morris (Conservative) (Photo: CEC).

"This is an alternative to that, whether we like the design of it or not, there doesn't seem to be, at this time, any option of moving past that.

"So, although I'm not happy with the floor plan, I'm not happy with the fact so many people are living in a smallish space, I will move approval based on what we have in front of us, because I don't think we have any other option."

The move to approved was seconded by Cllr Linda Buchanan (Shavington, Labour).

Five councillors voted for approval, one against and two abstained.

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