Residents near Bristol porn film studio angry over plan to convert it to flats
Building has been used by director Phil Barry for 'pornographic films and livestreaming'
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Your support makes all the difference.Families living next to a pornographic film studio have attacked the owner's plans to turn it into a block of flats.
Residents of Ebenezer Street in St Georges, Bristol, have condemned the proposal to transform the large property into a 'house in multiple occupation' (HMO) featuring 20 double rooms with six-month rental contracts.
Locals residents say the building's use for pornographic entertainment "wasn't really a problem" - but that they fear the new development could attract migrant workers, Bristol Post reports
According plans lodged with Bristol City Council, the studio has been used until recently by director Phil Barry for "pornographic films and live streaming".
Ebenezer Street resident Naomi Maggs, 38, said: "HMO is as many people as you can possibly get into a building per square foot and it's people who are on short term rental contracts, so it's not people who want to come and be a part of the community.
"[The porn studio] wasn't really a problem and any problems we did have we spoke to the owner and it got sorted.
"But this is going to be 40 people coming and going every six months. It's going to drive people out of St George."
Architect Martin Farrell, who created the plans, said the building could be ideal for "transient" workers "in a position where they go from job to job".
But resident Annie Bentley told the Bristol Post: "We understand the need for housing in Bristol, but transient sounds like people who need a hostel or hotel, not offering any kind of quality to the demographics of our neighbourhood.
"Everybody knows the need for housing in Bristol is important, but this is not for the people of Bristol, it's for people coming in from overseas short term.
Owner Mike Hobbins, who runs a smaller development nearby, responded by saying HMOs are a way of "solving the housing crisis in Bristol".
He said he would not target oversees workers, with only professionals being accepted.
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