Mum says plan to turn house into flats will drive out family

Row erupts over 'HMO' development at council meeting

- NICK JACKSON

A MUM says she is being driven out of her Victorian four-bedroom home after the controversial approval of a plan to turn the next door property into a house of multiple occupation (HMO).

Hayley Trotter, 45, broke down in tears in front Salford planning committee councillors as she pleaded with them to refuse an application to convert the vacant house next to hers into a six-bed HMO.

Following a long debate, the 10 councillors were split evenly, but chair Coun Phil Cusack had the casting vote and opted in favour of the application for the conversion of the property on Peel Green Road, Eccles. Motherof-two Ms Trotter sobbed as she told the meeting: "This is having a massive affect on my family.

It's causing a lot of stress and upset over who's going to be living next door.

"We've got lovely neighbours, but now I'm going to be worried about the noise coming from next door." She told the committee that when previous owner of the house lived there, the walls were so thin she could hear him drawing the cur-

tains. Ms Trotter also said her partner was an HGV driver and feared he would kept awake by 'disturbances' from next door, rendering him potentially unsafe to drive his huge truck.

After the meeting she vowed to put her house up for sale. "I've already had it valued," she said.