Harrow Council has backed making tougher planning controls on smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation permanent across the borough.
Councillors approved the move at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday 24 September, following a consultation on the Article 4 Direction introduced earlier this year.
The rules mean that planning permission is required before a family home can be converted into a small HMO housing between three and six unrelated people.
The Article 4 Direction has actually been in force since 12 June, but because it was introduced with immediate effect, the council was required to formally confirm it within six months or allow it to lapse. Cabinet has now agreed to confirm the Direction, subject to the normal call-in process.
Only three responses received
A six-week public consultation ran between 12 June and 27 July, with notices published around the borough and details made available online.
Council documents reveal that just three responses were received.
Among the issues raised were concerns that the changes could make it more difficult to provide HMO accommodation at a time when demand for rooms is high. One respondent argued that high rents mean some single people are being “outpriced” from renting a flat on their own.
Another raised the prospect of a legal challenge, although the council said no further information or action had been received.
Officers said the new rules do not amount to a ban on smaller HMOs. Instead, landlords will need to apply for planning permission, allowing factors such as housing need, the loss of family homes and the concentration of HMOs in particular areas to be considered.
The council concluded that none of the issues raised during the consultation were enough to justify allowing the Article 4 Direction to lapse.
Rules introduced in June
Harrow Online previously reported that the changes came into force in June after years in which smaller HMOs could generally be created from family homes under permitted development rights without a full planning application.
At the time, Cllr Marilyn Ashton, Deputy Leader of Harrow Council and Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, said: “This decision is about protecting family homes and preserving the character of our borough.”
Since the rules were introduced, Harrow Online has reported on a number of HMO proposals affected by the change.
In June, the council refused an application relating to a property on High Road, Harrow Weald, after determining that the proposed HMO fell within the scope of the new Article 4 Direction. Other HMO applications across Harrow have also been refused in recent months.
The council says the permanent controls will also allow it to monitor more closely where HMOs are being created, their concentration in particular neighbourhoods and the loss of family-sized housing.
The Cabinet decision is currently subject to call-in, with the council’s published decision notice stating that it is due to come into force on 3 October if it is not called in.
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