Brighton and Hove City Council looked into the claims made in comments on its website after the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, Chris Ward, called for an investigation.
The property company, WSE Property Services Ltd, plans to convert a family home at 47 Eastbrook Road, Portslade, into a house in multiple occupation (HMO).
A report to the council’s planning committee said the company, owned by John Wright, 49, and Holly Wright, 49, had confirmed it offered a reward for positive comments.
The report said: “There have been objections on this application detailing that the applicant has sought to encourage supportive comments on the application from their tenants in other properties and offered a reward for doing so.
“Copies of the communication sent to their tenants have been reviewed and the applicant has confirmed that this happened.
“It is noted that the supportive comments are dated on or after the applicant’s intervention in the public consultation.
“In light of this, limited weight is attributed to the supportive comments received for this application.
“However, the local planning authority cannot completely disregard the comments or not acknowledge them within the consideration as it cannot be proved that all supportive comments were a result of the applicant’s intervention.”
It is not possible for the public to judge for themselves either because, unlike many other councils, Brighton and Hove City Council redacts the names and addresses of commenters.
The practice has been criticised by, among others, Brighton Society members who say the planning system was supposed to be open and transparent – and the unnecessary secrecy undermined trust and public confidence and left the system open to abuse.
In this case, the application included comments from people openly saying that they were WSE Property Services tenants who were offered takeaway vouchers in return for positive comments on the application.
Labour councillor Liz Loughran, chairwoman of the council’s planning committee, said the council expected people to respond to applications in good faith and took seriously claims of people trying to influence the process.
Cllr Loughran said: “It is important to remember that planning is not a referendum. Comments received as part of the application process, both for and against, are used as part of the wider comprehensive decision-making process.”
The report to the planning committee advised members to grant planning permission to convert the house into a five-bedroom small HMO for up to six people.
There were 43 objections on the council’s website raising concerns about overdevelopment, the loss of a family home and parking.
One objector, whose details were redacted by the council, said: “The parking has become a nightmare over the years since it is still free to park on that street and we sometimes get individuals from other areas of Portslade parking here.
“There is a community centre at the end of the street, a dentist and Portslade centre which leads to our street being overcrowded with cars and sometimes its residents can’t find a parking space.”
There are nine supporting comments saying that homes are needed for those at a nearby college and that shared homes are also needed by young working professionals.
A supporter, whose details were also redacted, said: “Student accommodation is desperately needed in the area with Performers College less than ten minutes’ walk from Eastbrook Road.
“The vast majority of the students at the college are female. They are studying performing arts and they are in attendance five days a week, generally from 9 till 5 each day, often later when working towards performances.
“With a lack of suitable accommodation in the area, they are forced to spend up to an hour on various forms of public transport getting to and from the college. It is these students who are in desperate need of this accommodation.”
The planning committee is due to meet at 2pm on Wednesday, May 7 at Hove Town Hall. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast.
WSE Property Services was approached for comment.
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