OPPOSITION has emerged to plans to turn a former Newton Abbot care home into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO), with concerns raised over parking and road safety.

Rosecroft Homes Limited has submitted a new planning application to Teignbridge Council seeking permission to convert 30 Courtenay Road, the western half of the former Dunmore Care Home, pictured, into HMO accommodation.

The application, reference 26/01249/FUL, follows the refusal of an earlier proposal in January.

A separate application for the other half of the former care home, at 28 Courtenay Road, was also refused.

Under the latest proposals, the three-storey building would be converted into a large HMO providing 13 non-self-contained, single-occupancy bedrooms, with communal kitchens and shared facilities.

A smaller HMO is also proposed on the lower ground floor, comprising five single-occupancy bedrooms, a communal kitchen and dining area and laundry facilities.

New windows and other alterations to the building are also included in the plans.

However, parking has emerged as a key concern among those objecting to the proposals.

Objectors say Courtenay Road already experiences significant parking problems, with cars and vans regularly occupying the road, blocking access to garages, pavements and junctions.

They claim the situation can become so severe that the road is sometimes restricted to a single lane, raising concerns about how additional residents could affect congestion.

There are also concerns about safety and access, with objectors saying parked vehicles, alongside larger vans and lorries, can reduce visibility and make it difficult for delivery, refuse and emergency vehicles to get through.

Rosecroft Homes, however, argues the development would provide a useful new form of accommodation, while bringing a vacant building back into use.

The company argues that the property's central location provides good access to public transport, local services and employment opportunities.

It also says the HMO would be aimed at professionals and key workers, stressing that the proposed rooms would be for single occupancy only.

Teignbridge Council are due to make a decision by October 5.

Anyone wishing to view the plans, or submit comments, can do so via Teignbridge Council's planning portal by searching for application reference 26/01249/FUL