Local councillors have refused plans to expand a house of multiple occupation (HMO) on a busy residential street in Bridgwater. The application, submitted by Jotdale Properties in November 2025, sought to increase the capacity of an existing six-bedroom HMO at 9 Rhode Lane in the Hamp area to eight bedrooms.
Bridgwater has experienced a significant rise in HMOs in recent years, partly driven by demand from workers involved in the Hinkley Point C construction project. However, Somerset Council’s planning committee has now pushed back against further expansion, citing concerns about over-development and the impact on neighbourhood character.
The property is situated at the eastern end of Rhode Lane, a busy street lined with terraced houses and limited parking options, near the junction with the A38 Taunton Road leading into Bridgwater town centre. Currently, the ground floor contains communal spaces—including a lounge, kitchen, and dining area—along with one bedroom, while five additional bedrooms occupy the first floor. Skylight installations are ongoing, with scaffolding covering the building.
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The proposed extension would have occupied part of the current back garden, adding two extra bedrooms to the HMO. At the April 14 meeting of the council’s planning committee north, which handles major applications in the former Sedgemoor area, councillors firmly opposed the development.
Councillor Brian Smedley, representing Bridgwater South, explained that the area has seen a marked change in character due to the growing number of HMOs. He highlighted concerns about parking pressures, describing Ashleigh Avenue nearby as a local hotspot for illegal parking. “This was not designed for this. It’s a clear example of over-development with a lack of parking—a major issue at the entrance to the Hamp estate,” he said.
Bridgwater Town Council also objected to the plans, noting worries about over-building, insufficient parking, difficult access, and altering the neighbourhood’s character. Although Councillor Smedley chairs the town council, he did not partake in its debate on this proposal, making him eligible to vote on it at the county committee.
Councillor Alistair Hendry (Conservative, Highbridge and Burnham South) echoed Smedley’s concerns, emphasizing the minimal parking availability and the proliferation of HMOs in the area.
Looking ahead, the wider Hamp estate is poised for major regeneration, with £20 million allocated through the government’s Pride in Place fund to support local projects over the next decade. Bridgwater North and Central’s Councillor Hilary Bruce (Labour) stressed the need for mechanisms to manage the cumulative effects of such developments. “We have to make a stand and say: ‘No, this is not okay—this is too many,’” she said.
The committee ultimately voted overwhelmingly to refuse the expansion plans, nine votes to one.