RESIDENTS in a quiet street have fought off proposals to turn a disused dentist surgery into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) after battling for months.

Plans to turn the old surgery on Tryon Close into an HMO were submitted by Platinum Property Partners last August, with 28 objections submitted.

Council officers rejected the plans as a devolved matter from the planning committee due to poor design, and the adverse impact on the character of the area.

Campaigners then faced a second fight after slightly amended plans were submitted.

A residents’ committee was set up, who petitioned the developers and picketed the Civic Offices during the planning committee meeting.

They have always argued that introducing an HMO into the street would be disasterous, not only affecting the type of resident joining the community, but also clogging the street with a number of cars which the parking capacity would not support.

Finally last week they received confirmation from the developer they will be abandoning the proposals.

“We won,” said Tryon Close resident, Janet Jelley. “The residents’ committee is delighted to announce that an email received from the developer has stated they will no longer be seeking to convert the property into a house of multiple occupancy. All the residents believe that Tryon Close is not an appropriate location for a house of multiple occupancy, and we warmly welcome the statement that the property will not be developed in that way.

“The developer now simply proposes to convert it into a single use property.

“We are delighted with the decision to abandon the original plans. We welcome the decision to turn it into a single occupancy dwelling, and look forward to the start of the work.

“We have all been against it from the start. Last week some representatives from the developer came from Bristol to look at the parking capacity. The circle just in front of the property was certainly packed with cars, so the problems were obvious.”

Janet said the residents’ success had proved unwanted development can be opposed if people stand together.

“If they had continued with their plans we would have appealed again and again,” she said. “Hopefully now it is the end of the matter. I can’t understand how they even considered it in the first place.

“If we can beat the developers then hopefully other people can do the same. It is just about people banding together.”

Shaun Horwood, agent for Platinum Property Partners, said: “We have decided that even if we gain the planning consent the property will not be developed as requested.

“It has been decided it will now be a domestic dwelling with a small single-storey extension.”