More than 100 people have signed a petition against a planned HMO in Merthyr Tydfil. The petition has been set up because of concerns over a planned HMO (house in multiple occupation) for up to five people on Ninth Avenue in Galon Uchaf.
Zena James has created the petition because people are “deeply concerned” for the welfare and well-being of the community with this new proposal which has been submitted by D2PropCo Limited who intend to buy the building if planning permission is given. The proposal is for a supported living environment for young people and the company is working with the council on this with plans for staff onsite 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Zena said on the petition: “HMO facilities pose multiple safety risks to our surrounding community including:- anti social behaviour, criminal activity, substance abuse, noise disturbances, already a high crime rate area and the devaluation of our properties are a few of many to name. There are two schools within a one mile radius of the property, football playing fields, a great amount of children in the area and last but not least old and vulnerable.
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“We can’t stress enough how much worry and dread of feeling unsafe this brings to us as a community. Whilst we empathise with the need for providing support this does not solve the issue, only offering temporary solution whilst causing far more distress to locals than necessary." Robert James, who lives in the area and has done for 27 years, said it would be be “really worrying” especially as there plans for a house manager to come there five days a week to check CCTV and a 24 hour call line which he said suggests they’re anticipating problems.
He said: “Everybody I have spoken to in the street are dead against it.” Robert said he had heard about one property in Dowlais where they’d had nothing but issues and that he knew of a couple elsewhere that had been stopped from happening.
Robert went on to say that his property is not going to be worth anything if they put the HMO there and asked who is going to be housed there. He said: “Nobody is happy about it” adding that there’s a pre school, a new super school coming and playing fields so children go back and forth all the time.
In terms of the housing managers coming five days a week, Robert also said that the weekends are going to have more activity if anything adding that it’s “really worrying.” He mentioned issues with other similar properties and said if it went through his only option would be to move somewhere else as he doesn’t want to live next door to problems. To get all the latest Merthyr Tydfil news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
He said: “Our street is a good street. Everyone gets along. There is no problem.” He also raised concern about how few people had a letter about it and that other than that there’s just a notice up on a sign post and he said that “it is “affecting everybody in the street.”
D2PropCo Ltd said: “Subject to gaining planning permission, the property in question will be purchased by D2PropCo Ltd who are working with the council to provide support to young people. We can confirm that the property will be a supported living environment, with staff onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week and run by the council.
“D2 are happy to address any concerns directly with residents and we have already provided our contact details.” The council said that the council is working with an independent provider to provide support to young people.
It said: “We can confirm that the complex will be a supported living environment, with staff onsite 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
