Plans have been submitted to Bexley Council to convert a family home at 28 Wrotham Road, Welling, into a six-bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO), with no dedicated car parking spaces included in the proposal.
The property would be transformed from a conventional house into accommodation for up to six unrelated people. Each of the six bedrooms would be for single occupancy, ranging in size from 8.9 square metres to 13 square metres. Residents would share a 32-square-metre kitchen, dining and living area, equating to roughly 5.3 square metres of communal space per person.
The existing garage would also be converted into habitable accommodation, with the garage door replaced by a window. No extension to the main building is planned, making the garage conversion the primary external change.
Low-car approach and transport accessibility
Planning documents acknowledge that the property has a Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) rating of 1a, which the applicant describes as low. PTAL is a standard measure used to assess how accessible a location is by public transport.
To mitigate the lack of parking, the applicant proposes a “low-car approach” that includes secure storage for six bicycles—one for each resident. The existing driveway and vehicular access would remain, and the planning statement notes that on-street parking is already established in the surrounding area.
The statement reads: “The proposal adopts a low-car approach and seeks to support alternative travel modes through the provision of secure cycle storage for all six residents.”
A dedicated refuse and recycling store would be installed at the front of the property, alongside the proposed bicycle storage. The existing rear garden would be retained and made available for residents.
Planning context and prior decisions
Planning permission is required because Bexley’s Article 4 Direction removed permitted development rights for converting conventional homes into small HMOs within the borough.
The application references several other HMOs recently approved by Bexley Council, including a five-person HMO at 28 Park View Road in Welling, approved in March 2026, and a six-person HMO at 29 Penn Lane in Bexley, approved in September 2025.
However, the documents also cite a larger HMO proposal at 45 Hadlow Road in Welling that was refused in March 2026. The applicant argues this demonstrates that the council evaluates each HMO proposal on its individual scale and impacts, rather than applying a blanket policy against them.
Residential character and impact
Planning documents acknowledge that six residents could generate a “modest increase in comings and goings” compared with a single household, but argue that the property would remain residential in use. The applicant maintains the scheme would make efficient use of an existing home and provide additional private rented accommodation.
The statement says: “The proposal does not create six self-contained residential units. It creates one shared residential unit occupied by a maximum of six people, with shared communal facilities.”
The applicant concludes: “The proposal is considered to represent a suitable and proportionate form of residential intensification and an efficient use of an existing dwelling.”
Bexley Council is expected to make a decision on the application no later than October 26.
