PLANS for a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) in Victoria have been refused due to a lack of parking.

The proposal included changing the top two floors of 137 Duckpool Road from a four-bedroom house into a six-bedroom HMO. The ground floor is a shop and is not part of the application.

A HMO is a property lived in by two or more households, who share facilities such as a kitchen and bathroom. They are most commonly lived in by students and young professionals.

In its refusal, Newport City Council’s planning department said the application was “fully reliant upon neighbouring residential streets to provide parking spaces” where there is not sufficient space.

Newport’s parking guidance recommends that the property should have seven car parking spaces all together – six for each of the tenants and one visitor space.

Victoria councillor Farzina Hussain expressed concerns about the proposed development, she said the area had an existing parking issue.

No-off road parking was proposed by the applicant and no evidence – for example a parking survey – was submitted to demonstrate the availability of spaces on neighbouring streets.