An application was submitted to change the use of 95 Charminster Avenue, Bournemouth, BH9 1RU from a family home to a House of Multiple Occupations (HMO) as well as converting the loft to add an additional window and roof light.
The house sits in an area made up of detached two storey houses and bungalows and is opposite a parade of shops and St Walburga’s Catholic Primary School which has sparked concerns about the safety of children, an increase in traffic, and parking in the area.
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Additional objections raise concerns that a HMO is out of keeping for the area, and the report shows that the number of known HMOs in the area is less than two per cent.
Plans show there will be a total of eight single bedrooms in the house, three bedrooms will be on the ground floor, four bedrooms will be on the first floor and one bedroom will be on the second floor which will all have ensuite bathrooms
In July 2025, plans to convert the house into four flats were refused due to overcrowding, parking concerns, biodiversity being replaced and alterations being our of character with the area.
Councillors questioned how the new plans would not lead to overcrowding and were told that the HMO would only have up to eight people in where as if the property had been made into four flats there was potential two or three people per flat.
Bethany Booth, who objected to the application, told the committee that “unsafe parking already plagues residents”.
She added: “The council recognises the road dangers and is currently trialling road closures affecting this very junction at school pick-up and drop-off times. Approving these plans would undermine this positive intervention“.
Georgina McEwen also objected to the plans in a written statement said that safeguarding children should be a primary consideration and that the increase in traffic and parking will worsen an already congested area.
During debate councillors discussed increasing the number people in the house, the issues around parking and the reputation of HMOs.
It was proposed the plans be approved with additional conditions that would add a 24/7 contact details and ensuring the maximum number of occupants is eight which was passed in a vote 6-3.