Stafford shops opening - Turning into a boom town?

[Tumble weed]

They do all this when the old job centre and the surrounding land lies empty, which could possibly accommodate a small housing estate

 

[tek-monkey]

"If the application is approved six bedrooms would be created, alongside a communal kitchen and shared bathroom facilities."

Sorry but that doesn't come across as the kind of accommodation the town should be aspiring for. Sounds something similar to what I had in first year of hall of residence at uni 25+ years ago...

But the guy owns the building and its vacant, the most likely alternative is keep it empty which helps nobody. Not many people will pay a good rate for a flat you reach via the bins behind a shop, so I suspect it's potential is limited.

 

[joshua]

Lobbying for more accommodation to come to the town centre... Not sure if the objection holds much merit, someone moaning about it'll potentially hurt his loading bay / bin store, and may get noise into his office, surely his / her shop or bar generates more noise...

HMO plans for space above empty Stafford shop

An area above an empty Stafford town centre shop could be converted into living space.

www.expressandstar.com

That place is a right rabbit warren inside narrow stairs and odd little rooms, going to need quite a bit of work to transform

 

[joshua]

Is there any more news on the old M&S building or is it just going to sit there and rot ?

 

[Tumble weed]

That place is a right rabbit warren inside narrow stairs and odd little rooms, going to need quite a bit of work to transform

I'd say level it , then you've got a good sized area to fill as you please. I mean they levelled the old court which was probably more useful and eye pleasing.

Edit, thought you were on about the job centre.

 

[Mudgie]

That place is a right rabbit warren inside narrow stairs and odd little rooms, going to need quite a bit of work to transform

But nobody's likely to come up with the money for "quite a bit of work to transform" those two floors hence the planning application for six bedsits that'd give a decent return for little investment.

 

[Cue]

That place is a right rabbit warren inside narrow stairs and odd little rooms, going to need quite a bit of work to transform

That’s perfect for a HMO then. 6 tiny “flats” with a shared kitchen.

 

[Tumble weed]

That’s perfect for a HMO then. 6 tiny “flats” with a shared kitchen.

Hardly any natural light too, sounds lovely.

 

[c0tt0nt0p]

That’s perfect for a HMO then. 6 tiny “flats” with a shared kitchen.

A shared kitchen I could "almost" deal with, it's the shared bathroom that I struggle to understand....

 

[Mudgie]

A shared kitchen I could "almost" deal with, it's the shared bathroom that I struggle to understand....

Hardly any natural light, a shared kitchen and a shared bathroom is all many can afford nowadays.
Or maybe a choice between that and still living with ones parents ?

 

[timmo]

The plan is to introduce more accomodation to the town centre. Thats the long term plan.

Sadly converting empty space into dumping grounds for social problems isn’t the answer. HMO accommodation rarely if ever enhances an area.

 

[Mudgie]

Sadly converting empty space into dumping grounds for social problems isn’t the answer.

So what is the answer for the increasing number of homeless people ?
Privately rented houses in multiple occupation is the inevitable consequence of Thatcher selling off council; houses.
It can't only be about areas being enhanced !

 

[timmo]

So what is the answer for the increasing number of homeless people ?
Privately rented houses in multiple occupation is the inevitable consequence of Thatcher selling off council; houses.
It can't only be about areas being enhanced !

What thatcher did forty years ago is a poor excuse for sinkhole dumps in town centres.

I’d argue tackling the actual problems that lead to homelessness would be better than turning areas into slums.

 

[tek-monkey]

What thatcher did forty years ago is a poor excuse for sinkhole dumps in town centres.

I’d argue tackling the actual problems that lead to homelessness would be better than turning areas into slums.

A single flat approached from a shops bins and therefore attracting the bottom end of the market will do much less to help the homeless than a 6 bedroom HMO. Does it have parking?

If I owned it I'm not sure I could be bothered to spend the money making it a single dwelling, and making it 2 would mean 2 beds at most? Plus much higher cost as now 2 kitchens and bathrooms to make, and again with a very non instagrammable exterior, so attracting a low price on the rental market. Worth bothering?

What would you pay to live there, realistically?

 

[tek-monkey]

Look at this logically, a 1 bed flat is about 400 to rent and then bills will be another 250 at least with council tax. 650 a month before you buy food, 150 a week. No way you'll pass the credit checks unless you clear near double that, so full time workers only, and anyone on a zero hour contract can forget it.

Many people can only afford to live in a HMO, that is the sad reality of the worlds 7th richest country.

 

[timmo]

Look at this logically, a 1 bed flat is about 400 to rent and then bills will be another 250 at least with council tax. 650 a month before you buy food, 150 a week. No way you'll pass the credit checks unless you clear near double that, so full time workers only, and anyone on a zero hour contract can forget it.

Many people can only afford to live in a HMO, that is the sad reality of the worlds 7th richest country.

My bills are around £250 a month for a three bed house, how have you arrived at that figure? From experience in Birmingham and Wolverhampton is HMO tend to be unemployment and justice system wastelands contributing to the overall detraction of the whole. Just what town needs.

 

[Mudgie]

My bills are around £250 a month for a three bed house, how have you arrived at that figure? From experience in Birmingham and Wolverhampton is HMO tend to be unemployment and justice system wastelands contributing to the overall detraction of the whole. Just what town needs.

So what would you do with the "unemployment and justice system wastelands" people if they weren't to have houses in multiple occupation ?

 

[Noah]

I suspect that people are right about this particular HMO being aimed at the social housing market but not all HMOs are like that. Near universities they are often aimed at students, near hospitals nurses and junior doctors are the target and some are aimed at young business people. It all depends on the developer and the area.

 

[tek-monkey]

My bills are around £250 a month for a three bed house, how have you arrived at that figure? From experience in Birmingham and Wolverhampton is HMO tend to be unemployment and justice system wastelands contributing to the overall detraction of the whole. Just what town needs.

Council tax about 100?
Utilities about 80, depends a lot on the place
Water about 20?

So 200 plus you'll still need insurance, and that's before anything like broadband.

I'm frankly amazed you only spend 250 on a 3 bed semi when your council tax must be half of that and utilities are now stupidly high.

 

[tek-monkey]

I know loads of people who just haven't earned enough to live anywhere but a HMO, where in Stafford should they live?