A family home in Harrow will be converted into a shared house for up to nine people – despite objections from Conservative councillors.

Harrow Council’s planning committee yesterday (Wednesday, March 17) approved the redevelopment in Marlborough Hill following a majority vote.

It will see a two-storey semi-detached building converted into a house in multiple occupation (HMO) with five single rooms and two doubles alongside two kitchen and dining areas.

The Conservative representatives on the committee – Cllr Marilyn Ashton (Stanmore Park), Cllr Anjana Patel (Belmont), and Cllr Christopher Baxter (Headstone North) – voted against the plans on the basis it would be “detrimental” to the surrounding area.

Cllr Ashton, Harrow Conservatives’ spokesperson on planning, said it would result in too many people in one place, while Cllr Baxter suggested it would turn a “nice family home” into “cramped, sub-standard accommodation”.

However, planning officers recommended the committee approve the scheme on grounds it would contribute to the borough’s “flexible smaller housing stock” with good standard accommodation that would “not have an unduly harmful impact” on the character of the surrounding area.

They added there would be suitable parking provision, through the on-street permit scheme, even in “the unlikely event” all nine occupants would have cars.

The Labour members of the committee – chairman Cllr Ghazanfar Ali (Greenhill), vice-chairman Cllr Simon Brown (Headstone South), Cllr Ajay Maru (Kenton West), and Cllr Natasha Procter (Wealdstone) – agreed with the officers’ opinion, and, given they constitute a majority, approved the plans.