Houses in multiple occupation
This consultation is now closed.
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can provide an affordable type of housing for tenants looking for accommodation in an area as well as contributing to the overall mix of housing types and tenures available. High concentrations of HMOs can cause an imbalance in communities, which can sometimes have a detrimental impact on neighbourhoods.
The Garden Quarter in Chester is one such area where HMO numbers are high, which is affecting the balance of the community. For this reason, the Council is proposing to change the planning rules relating to further proposed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in this area. The proposed change will have the effect of requiring a planning application to be submitted when a family home (Use Class C3) is being converted into to a HMO occupied by three to six unrelated people (Use Class C4). This planning control is called an Article 4 Direction.
The introduction of an Article 4 Direction will allow the Council to assess, on a case by case basis whether applications for the creation of new HMOs are acceptable or not in planning terms. The change will not affect existing HMOs, instead it will help to control the number of new HMOs being created.
The Council is seeking views on this proposed change and would welcome your comments during the consultation period between Thursday 5 July 2012 and Friday 31 August 2012. If the Article 4 Direction is confirmed by the by the Council, after it has considered comments, it would come into force on 8 July 2013.
A copy of the Article 4 Direction and the area to which it
applies can be viewed below.
Large HMOs, with more than six unrelated people sharing a property
already require planning permission are not affected by this
Direction.
For further information view: