Letting agents and landlords in Southend are the latest to face a crackdown on HMOs as local Reform politicians reveal planning change proposals to limit landlords’ future applications.
Thge council’s draft local plan includes a range of measures for the planning committee to use if it feels an application will impact a neighbourhood.
An application would be considered “harmful” if there is a concentration of more than 10% HMOs within 50 metres of a proposed site. It would also prevent any existing homes from being sandwiched between two HMOs, while the committee could refuse an application where it results in a continuous frontage of three or more HMOs.
The rules will apply to building new HMOs, converting existing properties into them, and enlarging existing properties of this type. However, it’s not clear exactly which size HMOs will be covered,” the council says.
“As part of its preparation of its new local plan, the council intends to have a policy addressing HMOs. The detail of local plan policies, including for HMOs, is still to evolve within that process.”
There are already 2,320 HMOs across the city and the authority’s report explains that the policy seeks to ensure that an appropriate balance is struck between meeting demand while “protecting and safeguarding the character and amenities of established residential areas”.
Safeguard
It also aims to safeguard an adequate stock of small family homes and to allow the reversion of HMO properties to family homes.
Tony Cox, leader of the Reform Group (main inage), wants the new regulations to be implemented as soon as possible.
“I think we need greater restrictions on HMOs because they are becoming a real problem,” he tells The Yellow Advertiser. “The local plan won’t be fully agreed and then go through all the statutory processes until 2026 going into 2027.”
Anne Jones, councillor responsible for planning and housing,
Anne Jones, councillor responsible for planning and housing, says the policy will provide significant additional controls over a critical issue for the city.
She adds: “Longstanding national policy is clear that this must be done through a new local plan”.
