A landlord’s plans to turn a living room into a sixth bedroom in a shared house has received backing from planning officials.
Mishbec Ltd’s plans to expand the shared house in Elm Grove will now go before councillors after neighbours objected.
The company, owned by Patrick Eraut, 53, was first given permission to turn the four-storey family house, in Elm Grove, Brighton, into a five-bed shared house in December.
Permission for the change of use went through on the casting vote of the chair of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee.
Green councillor Steph Powell, who represents Hanover and Elm Grove, asked for the plans to go before Planning Committee because neighbours objected.
Councillors have been advised to grant planning permission when they meet next Wednesday (6 April).
Papers going before the Planning Committee said that increasing occupancy from five to six people was within the “use class C4”.
The report said: “It is not considered that the addition of a sixth bedroom to the HMO would cause significant additional noise, behavioural or waste-related issues.
“The proposal is not considered to result in any significant uplift in trip generation or parking.”
Mr Eraut originally wanted the mid-terrace house, on the north side of Elm Grove, between Bonchurch Road and Whippingham Road, to have six bedrooms.
Rather than hold up the application, Mr Eraut decided to remove bedroom six from the proposals and show it as a living room, and submit a separate application for the additional bedroom, as recommended by the planning officer.
The Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 2pm next Wednesday. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
