A historic building could be turned into a 17-bed shared house if latest plans are agreed with the council. Planning permission is sought for the conversion of Grade II-listed Matthew Murray House in Holbeck.
The two upper floors of the Water Lane building would be converted into a house in multiple occupation (HMO).
Part of the ground floor, a former foundry workshop, would become a sandwich shop if the scheme is approved by Leeds City Council.
A design report said the shared housing would be more affordable than other private rentals in the area. It said:
“The proposed changes to Matthew Murray House are mainly internal to make better use of the upper two floors of the building and provide economical residential letting accommodation.”
A previous proposal to create a 22-bed HMO at the site was refused in November last year. Concerns were raised over noise and a high turnover of HMO tenants if that scheme was allowed.
The current proposal would see 11 ensuite living spaces created on the first floor with a shared kitchen area. The second floor would house six rooms with shared shower facilities and a communal kitchen.
The 19th century building is named after the Victorian manufacturer who designed the first steam locomotive in 1812. The report said:
“Matthew Murray House has certainly been a part of the historic fabric in the Holbeck area. The current owner first bought the building in the 1980s, since maintaining it to compliment the ever-growing Leeds landscape.”
An application for full planning permission and listed building consent is out for consultation until 30 July 2026, you can view it here.
This post was written by Don Mort, Local Democracy Reporter
Photo: Google
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Too many HMOs these days