- Decision
- allowed, 25 August 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: K Dryden
- Authority
- South Gloucestershire (South West)
- Appeal reference
- 6009167
- Application reference
- P25/02828/F
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Extension and conversion of a vacant commercial building to 7 HMOs (C4; 34 occupants) with ground-floor Class E retained
- Homes
- 7
- Site context
- inside settlement
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- s38(6)
- Development plan policies
- South Gloucestershire Core Strategy 2013 CS17, PSP Plan 2017 PSP8, PSP16, PSP39, PSP43, HMO Refresh SPD 2026
- Main issues
- outdoor amenity space; on-street parking; housing mix
Summary
Seven small HMOs (34 occupants) above a retained shop unit in Filton were allowed. Outdoor space was adequate given nearby parks, parking capacity was proven by survey, and housing mix was not harmed because no dwelling would be lost (DL ¶10, ¶20, ¶32-33). The decision is plan-led.
What made the difference
The parking survey, accepted by the council's own transport officer (DL ¶13-14). The SPD's concentration thresholds were aimed at C3-to-HMO changes, not the conversion of a commercial building (DL ¶24, ¶29).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| P3 | pass | 40 sqm shared outdoor space acceptable given nearby parks and non-family units (DL 8-11) | |
| TR6 | pass | parking survey shows about 29 on-street and 20 car-park spaces; no highway objection (DL 12-20) | |
| HO5 | pass | SPD 10% concentration threshold aimed at C3 losses; conversion of commercial building adds housing choice (DL 21-33) |
Key facts
- Committee refusal against officer advice after an earlier decision was quashed by consent (DL 4, 13)
- Framework "no major changes relevant"; no comments sought (DL 3)
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.