Houses in Multiple Occupation - Have Your Say

What is being consulted upon?

The draft Houses in Multiple Occupation Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to the Council’s Local Plan. The SPD is a key document in setting out how the Council will interpret Policy BH7 ‘Accommodation with Shared Facilities or Support’. The aim of this is to improve the quality of outcomes for HMO occupants and their neighbours in locations where HMOs are considered appropriate.

Why is the SPD needed?

The Council has recently confirmed an Article 4 direction. This will require planning permission to be obtained for change of use from dwellings to small scale houses in multiple occupation (up to six residents) from 1st November 2022. HMOs of more than six residents are still required to obtain planning permission and the SPD contents also apply to them. The SPD on adoption will coincide with the Article 4 coming into effect and also to provide clarity on how it will interpret Policy BH7 ‘Accommodation with Shared Facilities or Support’ of the recently adopted Local Plan.

BH7 sets out criteria which have to be met for HMO development to be acceptable, including:

a)          location in an area with good access to public transport and other amenities, including shops (normally within 400m);

b)          is of an acceptable quality meeting appropriate standards for the needs of its occupants, including external amenity space, appropriate communal facilities, levels of support/ care and mobility;

c)           includes management arrangements agreed with the council suitable to its proposed use and size to not unacceptably impact on neighbour amenity;

d)          demonstrates that there is a specific Brent need, or in the case of purpose built student accommodation a London need, for the particular use; and

e)          will not lead to an over-concentration of the type of accommodation in the area…..defined as where three or more of the ten nearest properties are Houses in Multiple Occupation.

Overall, this is likely to ensure that the:

a)          quality of the accommodation is better for occupants,

b)          potential for adverse impacts on neighbours is reduced;

c)           balance between meeting the significant needs of larger families for three or more bedroom dwellings, and those of smaller households who cannot afford to rent self-contained dwellings is better managed; and

d)          there is a clearer basis for decision making on planning applications and planning enforcement.

Once adopted, the document will be given significant weight as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. The Council will work with applicants early on in the application process seeking compliance with the SPD to ensure acceptable developments.

Area of coverage

The London Borough of Brent, with the exception of areas in which the Old Oak and Park Royal Mayoral Development Corporation is the local planning authority. Some parts of the borough such as most Growth Areas have been excluded from the Article 4 direction, so in those locations do not require planning permission for small scale HMOs, but where permission is required for a HMO, the SPD will still be used.