- Decision
- allowed, 29 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: R Walker
- Authority
- Chorley (North West)
- Appeal reference
- 6013087
- Application reference
- 25/01250/FUL
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Retrospective change of use of a two-bedroom dwelling to a five-bedroom HMO
- Site context
- inside settlement
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- S4
- Development plan policies
- Chorley Local Plan 2015 ST4, BNE1, Central Lancashire Core Strategy Policy 6
- Main issues
- highway and pedestrian safety (parking); neighbours' noise and disturbance; future occupiers' living conditions
Summary
A retrospective change of use of a small Chorley terrace house to a five-bedroom HMO. On-street parking had spare capacity, noise could be controlled by a management plan and sound insulation, and there was no overconcentration. With no harm and no conflict with the Framework's decision-making policies, S4 pointed to approval. Allowed.
Issues and findings
- Transition. The main parties "had opportunities to comment on any implications for the appeal of this change as part of the normal appeal process" (DL ¶2).
- Parking: NO HARM. "even with an increase in parking demand I do not consider that this would lead to a significant adverse effect on highway or pedestrian safety" (DL ¶9).
- Noise: NO HARM with conditions. "I accept that there can be no cast iron guarantee that problems of noise and disturbance will not arise from the HMO use, as this will depend on the particular group of occupiers. However, such an argument would also apply to a C3 dwelling" (DL ¶14).
- Space standards. NDSS "does not provide guidance for HMOs" (DL ¶18).
- S4: APPROVE. "I have not identified any unacceptable harm in the main issues or conflicts with national decision-making policies in the Framework" (DL ¶24).
Planning balance
S4 with no harm, and accords with the development plan (DL ¶24, ¶29).
What made the difference
No overconcentration and street capacity for parking. Contrast the same inspector's Preston decision, PINS-6009669, dismissed where five HMOs were clustered nearby.
Transferable points
- Uncertainty about future HMO occupiers' behaviour is not a reason for refusal, since the same applies to a C3 house; management and insulation conditions address it (DL ¶14–15).
- NDSS does not apply to HMOs; room adequacy is a planning judgement (DL ¶18–19).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| TR3 | pass | TR3(1)(c) highway safety; ST4/BNE1 "broadly consistent"; modest extra parking demand on streets with spare capacity; no safety harm (DL 5-10) | |
| DP3(2)(a) | pass | CS Policy 6 and BNE1 consistent with DP3 liveability; noise controlled by management plan and sound insulation conditions; no overconcentration shown (DL 13-16, 21-22) | |
| DM4 | neutral | limited | emerging Central Lancashire Local Plan "little weight" (DL 3) |
| S4 | pass | no unacceptable harm or conflict with the Framework's decision-making policies, so approve (DL 23-24) |
Key facts
- Corner terrace; bedrooms one to three small and irregular but overall not cramped; NDSS not applicable to HMOs (DL 18-19)
- Retrospective use; conditions require a management plan and sound insulation within 3 months, cycle parking, and max 5 occupiers (Schedule 2-5)
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.