A BID to expand a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Galashiels has been approved by Scottish Borders Council.

The listed building consent application, from Galashiels-based Darren Bunker, was submitted for 44 and 46 High Street.

It proposes conversion to and extension of an HMO on the first floor, conversion of a café on the ground floor to an office and conversion of a portion of an existing office unit and associated storage to a new HMO bedsit to the rear of the ground floor.

Also planned were further internal alterations throughout, with the replacement of existing timber sash and case windows to uPVC sash and case windows and replacement of natural slate externally.

Those proposals have been altered due to conservation area concerns.

In his report approving the application, Carlos Clarke, the council’s lead planning officer, states: “Key to the initial proposals was the replacement of all windows in uPVC which, on this listed building (particularly to the front and side elevations) would not be appropriate.

“The applicants have, however, since agreed to amend the proposals all to timber sashes which, subject to condition on detailed profiles (and for which double glazing is agreeable), would now comply with our policy guidance.”

An HMO is a term which refers to residential properties where ‘common areas’ exist and are shared by more than one household.

Most HMOs have been subdivided from larger houses designed for and occupied by one family.

Some housing legislation makes a distinction between those buildings occupied mainly on long leases and those where the majority of the occupants are short-term tenants.