AN ANGRY resident fed up by the number of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in St John’s called council planners “absolutely diabolical” for allowing a three-bedroom extension to an existing building.

The resident said councillors had “no consideration for residents” and “should be absolutely ashamed of themselves” before storming out of the Worcester City Council planning committee meeting after councillors agreed the home could be extended to have eight bedrooms.

The two-storey extension to the HMO in Comer Road was approved despite strong objections from neighbours over the lack of car parking and overdevelopment.

Councillor Roger Berry said he had sympathy with neighbours over the number of HMOs but planners had to comply with existing policy.

Cllr Chris Mitchell, chairman of the planning committee, said the extension was “over-intensification” of the area and thought it was “a little bit too much.”

Despite the increase in bedrooms, only three car parking spaces would be provided as part of the extension. Worcestershire County Council’s highways department changed its policy on the number of car parking spaces a day after the planning meeting and said it would have recommended refusal had it been submitted now. Nevertheless, highways bosses 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.

Approval was granted last Thursday (August 22).