A TWO-STOREY extension to a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in St John’s is set to be approved despite strong objections from neighbours over car parking.

An existing five-bedroom HMO in Comer Road would be expanded with a wraparound extension pushing the number of bedrooms up to eight, if plans are approved by Worcester City Council’s planning committee on Thursday (August 22).

Despite the increase in bedrooms, only three car parking spaces would be provided as part of the extension.

Worcestershire County Council’s highways department said it was happy with the number of car parking spaces included due to the HMO’s close location to the centre of St John’s and raised no objection.

City council planners agreed the HMO was in a ‘sustainable’ location and an extra three bedrooms would not be harmful to the area and have recommended to the planning committee that the extension should be approved.

Several objections were made by neighbours on both sides of the proposed HMO with the lack of sufficient car parking spaces top of the list of their concerns.

Neighbours were also concerned by the number of bins obstructing the pavement in Comer Road and extending the HMO would make the problem worse and attract more rats.

The council said because the building is already an HMO, agreeing to the extension would not push it over the ten per cent limit for the number of HMOs within a 100-metre radius.

Councillor Chris Cawthorne, who represents St John’s, said the HMO extension plan needed more car parking spaces as it was already difficult to park in Comer Road at any time of the day.

Cllr Richard Udall, who also represents St John’s, said the extension would be a “significant and unwanted change” to the building’s character and would badly affect parking on a very busy road.

The council’s planning committee meets on Thursday in the Guildhall at 1.30pm.