Sutton councillors have refused a proposal to expand a house in multiple occupation (HMO) at 48 Hallmead Road for the third time in a year, overriding the council’s own planning officers who had recommended approval. The decision, made at a planning committee meeting on August 5, follows a residents’ campaign that highlighted police callouts, reports of naked people on the street, and parking pressures.
Residents’ campaign and petition
Residents of Hallmead Road submitted a petition signed by 67 people from 30 households, which a residents’ representative said represented more than 68 per cent of households on the road. Speaking at the meeting, the representative described the road as a “hotbed” of anti-social behaviour since the existing six-person HMO was built in 2025.
“Since it has been built we have been inundated with police presence,” the representative said. “We have had people from the property walking up and down the street naked. It’s a residential road. They let anyone live there and we have to live with this.” Residents said they had provided police with evidence of the incidents.
Applicant’s proposal and council’s initial support
The applicant, Ghlenn Perry Capuyan, sought permission to convert existing ground and second-floor office and storage spaces into four additional bedrooms with en-suite facilities, increasing the HMO from six to ten bedrooms. The council’s Licensing Team had already issued a licence for 10 occupants, confirming that the rooms met legal size standards. A Highways Officer also supported the scheme, accepting a parking survey that concluded the expansion would not affect road safety.
To address parking concerns, the applicant proposed a “car-lite” management plan, including a strict “no-car” clause in tenancy agreements. However, council officers acknowledged they had no legal powers to enforce the restriction if tenants brought cars. A representative for the applicant argued that HMO residents rely on public transport and that the scheme would provide affordable housing, saying, “Finding safe, decent and lower cost housing in Sutton right now is extremely tough. Not every working adult or young professional can afford a private place but everyone deserves a secure front door and a stable base to build their life.”
Committee’s concerns and previous refusals
Sutton North Councillor Sam Cumber intervened to bring the application before the public committee, citing concerns about overdevelopment and parking pressures, and criticising the applicant’s lack of transparency. The committee ultimately sided with residents, citing the cumulative impact of four additional residents, the property’s single off-street parking space, and “unacceptable” impacts on residential amenity and overdevelopment, reflecting the need to protect the character of the established suburban area.
This is not the first refusal for the site. A Lawful Development Certificate application was rejected in September 2025 after officers ruled that expanding to a 10-bedroom HMO would be a material change of use. A subsequent full planning application was refused in January 2026 because the applicant failed to provide a required parking survey.
