# 31a Roman Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough (flat to 5-bed HMO)

- **Decision:** dismissed, 16 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: F Harrison
- **Authority:** Middlesbrough (North East)
- **Appeal reference:** 6011052
- **Application reference:** 26/0033/COU
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Retrospective change of use from 2-bed flat to 5-bed HMO
- **Site context:** inside-settlement, conservation-area
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** DP3, Middlesbrough CS DC1
- **Development plan policies:** Middlesbrough Core Strategy 2008 DC1, CS5, emerging Publication Local Plan 2025 HO7, HO8, HO9 (limited weight)
- **Main issues:** living conditions, parking
- **Tags:** hmo, dp3-social-interaction, retrospective, transitional-no-consultation, tier-2

## Summary
A retrospective five-bed student HMO in Middlesbrough was dismissed for poor internal living conditions: a cramped shared kitchen and no outdoor space. Parking was acceptable (DL ¶12, ¶16).

## What made the difference
The inspector used DP3's liveability requirement for "features that promote social interaction" to fill a gap in local policy, which had no explicit communal-space standard (DL ¶6). Licensing standards did not carry over to planning (DL ¶10).

## Policy findings
- **DP3: fail.** cramped shared kitchen and no amenity space; "Framework Policy DP3 requires proposals to employ features that promote social interaction" (DL 6, 12)
- **TR6: pass.** student occupiers in an accessible location; no unacceptable parking impact (DL 15-16)

## Key facts
- No re-consultation: "no material changes in policy emphasis" (DL 3)
- HMO licensing standards given limited weight for planning purposes (DL 10)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6011052
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/950d8512-d7d2-4642-b901-9d358ad53a3f

---

Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6011052.html

A summary of a public planning decision, written from the decision letter. Not legal advice. © Planning Distilled. Released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): share and adapt freely, with credit to Planning Distilled. Quotations from decision letters, plans and the Framework remain the copyright of their publishers.