Carrington House, a former care home in Wincanton, Somerset, has been granted retrospective planning permission to operate as a 35-bed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO). Originally built in the 1970s, the facility was closed by Somerset Care in 2023.
Shortly after the closure, Somerset Council’s licensing department approved the use of the building as an HMO, with rooms currently advertised through the Ad Hoc property website. The planning department has now confirmed this arrangement, allowing the property to continue functioning as a shared residential space without requiring any changes to the existing licence.
Located on the northern edge of Wincanton, Carrington House is a three-storey building bordered by residential streets including Carrington Way and Lock’s Lane. The HMO setup includes individual bedrooms alongside communal amenities such as a kitchen, bathrooms, and lounge areas.
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Residents have access to six dedicated parking spaces at the rear, while others typically use the nearby public car park. Pure Town Planning, representing the applicant, emphasized the economic and housing benefits of the proposal, noting it will help local employers recruit staff by providing suitable, flexible accommodation for working professionals.
The proposal was approved under delegated powers by the council’s planning officers, without going before the planning committee responsible for major applications in South Somerset. Planning officer Joel Grist highlighted that the site’s prior use as a care home established it as a residential location, making the HMO a compatible use. Additionally, consultation with the council’s care team yielded no objections.
Since Wincanton is outside the Somerset Levels and Moors catchment area, no phosphate mitigation measures were necessary as part of this planning consent.