Harrow Council has refused a series of applications to create or expand Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), with proposals affecting homes across the borough being turned down in the latest round of planning decisions.
The refusals come as Harrow continues to tighten controls on HMOs following the introduction of its borough-wide Article 4 Direction, which means planning permission is now required for many HMO conversions that were previously allowed under permitted development rights.
Among the applications refused was a proposal to increase an existing HMO at 210 High Road, Harrow Weald from five bedrooms to six bedrooms.
Another application at 12 Holyrood Avenue sought permission relating to a five-person HMO, while proposals to create six-person HMOs at 88 Southdown Crescent and 38 Roxeth Green Avenue were also refused.
A separate application at 93 Vaughan Road, West Harrow, for a six-person HMO was withdrawn before a decision was made.
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Article 4 Direction behind several decisions
Planning documents show that some of the applications were submitted as Certificates of Lawful Development, with applicants arguing that planning permission was not required.
However, Harrow Council ruled that because of the borough’s Article 4 Direction, permitted development rights no longer apply to these types of HMO conversions. As a result, the proposals require full planning permission and could not be certified as lawful.
The council rejected applications including those at 12 Holyrood Avenue and 210 High Road on that basis.
Largest proposal covered separately
The latest planning decisions also included the refusal of plans to convert a property at 57 Harrow View into an eight-person HMO.
That application was refused for a number of planning reasons, including concerns over poor living conditions, noise and disturbance, overdevelopment and the impact on the surrounding area. Harrow Online has reported separately on that decision.
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