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Planners raise concerns of "detriment of civilised society" if flats plan was allowed

Monday, 2 October 2023 18:00

By Chris Young, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to create extra flats at a small cottage have been refused over concerns the properties would be “to the detriment of civilised society.”

A planning application for work to 134 Hermit Hole, between Keighley and Cross Roads, was recently submitted to Bradford Council.

The property is currently a cottage made up of a ground floor bedsit with storage space in the basement.

The application, by Osman Rafiq, was to build a new first floor to the property, which along with living space in the ground floor would create a new two bed home, and convert the basement into a seperate bedsit.

But the application has now been refused after planning officers raised major concerns about the cramped nature of the accomodation.
Referring to the basement flat, planners said: “No windows can be provided to serve the small kitchen area or ventilate the bathroom. They will therefore be likely to remain in darkness.

“The technical housing standards for a one-bedroom flat requires a minimum floor area of 39sqm including 1sqm of storage.

“The proposal provides 18.5sqm of floor area and no storage provision. This is woefully short of the minimum housing standard requirement.”

Officers say the other flats would also fall far short of what was required, adding: “The standard of accommodation provided over this development is wholly inadequate and the proposal is not suitable for habitation.

“The proposal would open the doors to the exploitation of the most vulnerable members of the population to the detriment of civilized society.”
 

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