Crackdown on lofts

Jan 7 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

LANDLORDS of Tyneside flats could be barred from converting roof space into extra bedrooms in Newcastle’s most popular student areas.

The proposals for Jesmond, Sandyford, Heaton, Spital Tongues and parts of Fenham could become part of the city’s planning rules within the next six months, if approved by council bosses.

Planners are finally set to move the scheme forward after it was pulled earlier this year when council officials did not include some groups, including private landlords, in the consultation process.

The move comes as figures show more than half the upper flats in some of the affected areas have rooflights installed and extra bedrooms put in the loft – indicators of properties which are rented out to students or young professionals. Officials at Newcastle City Council say that high levels of residential turnover can result in a lack of long-term commitment to an area, a decline in community spirit, the loss of family homes, a decline in population during university vacations and a drop in the numbers of children from the area attending local schools.

They also see the upper Tyneside flats as an important lower-cost step on the housing ladder.

Yesterday Jesmond councillor Ron Armstrong and the Jesmond Residents Association general secretary Alan Grant both agreed the move had come too late for many who had moved out of the area, but said the new rules would finally give the council power to halt the increase in the number of short-term residents.

Under the city council guidance, planning permission would be refused if an application wanted to create “additional habitable accommodation” in the roof space of an upper Tyneside flat, if it would result in the loss of good quality accommodation suitable for a family, or if it would cause extra noise and disturbance or extra traffic or parking problems.

At the same time, a separate plan is being proposed by the council to limit the number of parking permits per house in areas where a residents’ parking is in place.

Yesterday Coun Armstrong said: “The danger is that we could end up with some wards which are 100% student. The problem with that is unless you have a certain proportion of long-term residents, the whole place gets neglected.

“The number of times people who have phoned me and said ‘I had a retired couple above me and now I’m going to have six students.’ Now we can do something about it, but it’s too late for some people.”

Mr Grant added: “There are wards in the city where there are no permanent residents. The situation has got completely out of hand and I’m very pleased that Newcastle City has now got down to the task of ensuring there is some sort of council control on the spread. It has come far too late but now enables us to balance or redress the situation.”

The consultation ends on January 25.