A council plans to clamp down on the rise in small HMOs, suggesting they may negatively impact the character of neighbourhoods.
Three Rivers council In Hertfordshire, led by the Liberal Democrats, is preparing a so-called Article 4 direction to remove the development rights for HMOs with up to six occupants.
Under current planning rules, an HMO that is occupied by six or fewer occupants is granted automatic planning permission.
The new direction will be consulted and come into effect in 12 months.
Council leader Stephen Giles-Medhurst says: “We have seen a rise in potential new HMOs over the last five months, and we now have sufficient evidence to justify an Article 4 Direction.
“This adds an additional layer of control on top of any licensing conditions that already apply. It allows proper consideration through the planning process and is intended to help manage the concentration and distribution of HMOs.
“We need to consider, rightly, the impacts on local communities of a higher concentration of HMOs, the housing mix, and neighbourhood character.”
And council housing chief Steve Drury adds that HMOs “need to be in the right place, and residents must be able to have a say on applications.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today