IN a row over plans to approve a seven-bed HMO in Weston, ward councillor Mark Canniford has been accused of 'repeatedly ignoring' resident concerns because the story is 'not sexy like See Monster'.
Outraged neighbours on Gerard Road have blasted the executive member for placemaking at North Somerset Council as the decision for a 'gross overdevelopment' of the street is due to take place in just two weeks.
In September, work started to convert number 15 into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) for male asylum seekers retrospective of planning permission and devoid of consultation with residents who say it will 'damage the street's community spirit' and exacerbate parking issues.
Georgie Pritchard-Jones said she and her partner have contacted Cllr Canniford numerous times asking him to call it into a planning committee at council so it can be 'properly scrutinised'.
The 35-year-old claims that 'apart from a solitary one-line email' they had eagerly awaited a response for more than two months.
“I first contacted him in October but didn’t hear back", the mother-of-two said.
“I chased him up but have yet to receive a reply. My partner only got hold of him when he called him - he repeatedly ignored his emails too.
"He [Mark Canniford] loves a good news story but what kind of ward councillor doesn't deal with the day-to-day issues facing his residents.
"It might not be as sexy as the See Monster but if anything, it's more important as it is going to affect the daily lives of those on Gerard Road and the wider area."
She added: "It’s a disgrace, there are 15 objections online and the whole street is concerned about what is happening and want it called into committee.
"His job is to respond to his residents yet he is burying his head in the sand and hoping we’ll go away. We won’t."
READ MORE: 7-bed HMO in Weston will damage community spirit, locals claim
Works already completed two bedrooms on the ground floor and a further five upstairs. The house will see two shared bathrooms and showers along with a kitchen diner and communal space, too.
But Mr Canniford, who also sits on the town council for Hillside, says he is 'opposed' to the application and claims he had not received the couple's emails despite ongoing communication.
He said: "I have had a few exchanges in the last day or so but I believe that I hadn’t received their emails.
"I spoke to them at length and didn’t come away thinking that I had actions to go back with. I said I will call-in the application if it is approved by officers."
This week it was confirmed 15 Gerard Road would house male asylum seekers on an initial contract of up to five years through housing association Curo.
It comes as another house - previously occupied by a family for many years - has become vacant on the road - sparking fears it may too end up as a HMO.
Georgie - who recently moved to Weston a year ago to bring up her young family - says that if this is allowed to continue it will 'destroy the town's appeal'.
"The council says it wants to bring up our town but allowing all of the properties to be turned into HMOs will have the opposite effect", she explained.
She also contacted Weston MP John Penrose in a desperate bid to receive a reply from Canniford where he invited the councillor to get in touch.
North Somerset Council recently voiced concern with a plan to house more asylum seekers in Weston, writing to prime minister Rishi Sunak about the numbers.
It said: "We are concerned that the number of temporary hotels exceeds our ability to cope as a system with the service demands that are associated with the individuals."
The HMO determination is expected on December 7.
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