PLANS to extend an Oldbury home to make it into a HMO have been given the green light despite a petition against the proposal.

The bid to create an eight-bed house of multiple occupation at 54, St James Road, led to 23 objections and a 36-signature petition being submitted to planners from worried neighbours.

Concerns included a lack of parking, as there are only four spaces with the road already suffering from high levels of on-street parking, with it being near Rounds Green Primary and on a main bus route, anti-social behaviour and concerns regarding the type of people living at the property which school children walk past.

Concerns stated that a HMO on a neighbouring street has caused issues such as loud music.

A report by council planners stated that "It is the understanding of local residents that the property would be used as a bail hostel/ halfway house for offenders and that this is inappropriate for the surrounding area."

Despite the concerns planners gave the proposal, from Mrs Lavanya Gamsani, the thumbs up.

A report states: "The proposal raises no significant concerns from an amenity or design perspective and proposes suitable living accommodation.

"The Council’s Highways team has raised no objections to the application with the development providing suitable parking provision for the number of rooms proposed.

"I am satisfied there would be no significant impact to the safety and convenience of users of the highway."

The report goes on to say that "the local planning authority has no control over the prospective occupants of the HMO" and that police have not raised an objection.

It states that occupiers would have to abide by rules in their tenancy managed by the landlord, and that if these regulations are not complied with landlords can be fined up to £5k.

It goes on to say that "The applicant has confirmed the proposed use would not be for a bail hostel and would be a professional-let HMO.

"Should the applicant wish to use the site for this purpose a new planning application would be required."

A side and rear extension will be built to create four bedrooms with shower rooms and a kitchen diner and a utility room on the ground floor and four bedrooms with shower rooms on the first floor.