RESIDENTS of an east Reading street have called for the council to take action on the number of homes being converted into flats.
Of the 56 homes on St Bartholomew’s Road, 50 are privately owned or rented, and six licensed as homes of multiple occupations (HMOs).
A petition has been raised calling for curbs on any future conversions.
Hilary Kemp, who has lived in St Bartholomew’s Road for 23 years, said: “We the council use the powers it already has to keep the current range of housing in St Bartholomew’s Road as it currently is. This we feel is an appropriate mix.”
The number of HMOs can be limited using an Article 4 Direction, which imposes limits and controls on HMOs and the conversion of properties for other uses to protect the character of the area. Reading Borough Council already has a number of areas where conversions of houses are limited.
Ms Kemp said the homes on her road were built by George Palmer in the Victorian era, and are mainly two or three bedrooms which would be inappropriate for conversion.
“There is no doubt that we need good quality family homes in Reading, we currently have those in St Bartholomew’s Road, right by the park for families to enjoy and close to local schools,” she continued. “Let us not lose any more family homes, let’s protect what we already have, and quickly.”
The petition was presented to a meeting of the council’s policy committee on Monday, July 11.
Cllr Micky Leng, lead councillor for planning, said there is good evidence for an Article 4 direction in the area, but processing such a direction can be time-consuming.
The Whitley ward councillor said: “National policy states that a direction should be necessary to protect local amenity or the well-being of an area, be based on robust evidence, and apply to the smallest geographical area possible.
“Gathering this evidence can take a considerable time and, once a direction is made, there is a 12-month period before it comes into force to avoid paying possible compensation to landowners.”
He said the planning department’s current focus is on a partial update of the Local Plan, which will include policies on HMOs.
“It is not therefore envisaged that work could begin on progressing a new or amended Article 4 direction until late in 2024,” he continued. “However, at that stage the Council will investigate the case for extending the direction in this area in full.”
