A landlord applying for a roof extension on a storage building at the back of his garden has sparked concern amongst neighbours that he might be planning on turning it into flats.

Mr Rai, of Alma Road in Bevois, has applied to Southampton City Council to extend the roof of his outbuilding to make more room for storage.

The main house currently has six flats inside and Mr Rai says the outbuilding is currently only used for his own storage, not the tenants – therefore the extra roof space is needed for their storage. 

However, worried neighbours say that the plans for the renovated outbuilding are ‘not in keeping with a mere storage facility,’ leading them to speculate the landlord is planning to use it for more flats.

One objector said: “My main concern with this application is that it is the beginning of a longer-term attempt to convert the standing storage facility into a multiple occupancy and rental household.

“The plans and frontal elevation are not in keeping with a mere storage facility.

“The roof and the smaller roofs over the windows are appropriate for a domestic property but not for a storage building.

“My belief here is that before too long we will face another application to turn this into at least two small rental properties.”

A council report on the plans said: “A condition will control the use of the outbuilding to ensure it is solely used for storage purposes ancillary to the residential use of 111 Alma Road.

“Any future use of the outbuilding for self-contained residential purposes would be a breach of planning control that can be enforced against by the Council, whilst any subsequent application for residential accommodation would be separately determined on its own merits following further public consultation.”

Mr Rai’s application actually garnered nine representations in support – however, according to one resident, all of these came from the current tenants of the main house.

The resident said: “I notice all the comments supporting the development are from the current residents of 111 Alma Rd, who say that each of the six flats will get a private secure lockable storage area or 15-20m2 however on the plans there are only four rooms, not six.”

All three of the Bevois councillors, Councillor Jacqui Rayment, Cllr Mike Denness and Cllr Toqeer Kataria objected to the plans.