Hastings Home Could Become HMO If Plans Approved

Planning proposals from a Hastings-based homelessness charity are set to go in front of borough councillors.

On Wednesday (June 4), Hastings Borough Council’s planning committee is due to consider an application from The Seaview Project, which seeks permission to convert a house in Gresham Way into a nine-bedroom Home in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

The charity says it would use the property, if its proposals are approved, to provide “immediate relief” for people who are found to be rough sleeping within the borough, combining accommodation with support services.

In a statement submitted as part of the application, a spokesman for Seaview said:

“This property is intended to provide an Off-the-Street-Offer (OTSO) for individuals presenting as rough sleeping across Hastings and St Leonards. The accommodation will sit outside of typical statutory Temporary Accommodation (TA) pathways, acting as an immediate relief for those presenting as rough sleeping.

“The accommodation offer will include support to help someone settle, to work with wider support services on a needs-led basis, and to ensure emphasis on move on, within a targeted time frame which will need to be flexible, according to availability of more settled accommodation.

“Providing these support services will enable residents to move on into more settled accommodation and leave homelessness for good.”

The council says it has received 32 letters of objection from 18 different households.

The council has also received five letters of support, which stress the need for and benefits of the charity’s activities.

Objectors have raised concerns around loss of privacy, pressure on parking and drainage, antisocial behaviour and the impact of an HMO on the character of the area.

Objectors have also raised concerns around the provision of an outside smoking area.

Council planning officers are recommending the conversion be approved.

In a report to the committee, a council planning spokesman said:

“Concerns have been raised in the public comments regarding past antisocial behaviour within the site. However, from a planning perspective, the prospective behaviour of future occupants is not a material consideration.

“In addition, the proposed HMO is supported by a detailed management plan, which sets out the procedures that will be followed by staff managing the property. These include general policies relating to the vetting of future occupants, policies relating to pets, the zero-tolerance approach to alcohol and drug use within the site, and the management of any potential antisocial behaviour.

“The plans also confirm that the site will be monitored by CCTV at all times. The management statement confirms that staff will be present within the property 24 hours a day to ensure that the HMO is appropriately supervised and that the staff members will be trained in de-escalation and breakaway techniques.

“It is confirmed that staff will also have access to an on-call security company that will assist in the event of an emergency. As such, the site will be strictly monitored at all times. Any future planning permission will be subject to a condition requiring compliance with the management plan.”

For its part, the charity also says its service would be targeted at those with “low to medium support needs”.

In its application, a spokesman for the charity said:

“Seaview will carry an assessment for suitability and this assessment includes factors such as risk and how suitable an individual may be able to cope if they are offered a room at the project.

“The assessment explores issues around an individual being able to maintain a tenancy which includes making a decision about whether the project can meet each applicant’s needs.

“Therefore, the project will be working with rough sleepers with low to medium support needs and referring on to other projects that provide placements for those with higher support needs.”

The charity’s application also addresses the concerns raised around parking, saying the property’s parking spaces would be reserved for staff and other professionals visiting the site.

The charity also notes how it is “unlikely that any of the residents will own vehicles”, but says it would not offer parking spaces for those who do.

For further information about the proposals see application reference HS/FA/25/00038 on the Hastings Borough Council website.