KET8 Houses in Multiple Occupation

Policy Intent

It is recognised that HMOs play a key role in providing accommodation for students, but they also provide homes for those on lower incomes and those who are not in a position to rent or own their own individual home. However, an overconcentration in an area can lead to unacceptable impacts on neighbouring amenity which is considered harmful to local communities.

Therefore, in striking a balance to ensure that housing need is met and to ensure that those HMOs which are subject to planning control (currently 7+ occupants) the KNP can create a policy to legislate for the overall number and concentration in an area to encourage a more even distribution across the area. The mapping for HMOs is below. As a result, it is suggested that a policy on this may be developed with the following principles:

1. Development proposals for Houses in Multiple Occupation will only be supported where:

1. the proportion of HMO dwellings does not exceed 10% of the residential properties within a 50m radius from the application site. Where the circle does not include a minimum of 10 residential properties, the threshold will apply to the 10 residential properties nearest to the application site. When the threshold has been breached already, planning permission will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.
2. the development does not result in any residential property (C3 use) being ‘sandwiched’ between two HMOs

2. Notwithstanding the threshold limit and exceptional circumstances, other material considerations (such as intensification of use, highway safety, residential amenity of future and existing occupiers) arising from the impact of the proposal will be assessed in accordance with NNCs relevant development management policies and guidance.

This policy area could also provide an appropriate evidence base to request the inclusion of an Article 4 Direction, such as that introduced in in Corby, to bring all HMO applications into the planning regime, irrespective of the number of occupants.

Issues in respect of HMOs can include:

• the disturbance arising from the intensification of use of a home by the greater comings and goings associated with occupiers living independently of each other in comparison to a typical a family unit;
• and the greater demand on street parking in neighbourhoods with heavily parked streets where occupiers of HMOs would independently use their own vehicles, leading to a negative impact on amenity by the displacement of street parking available for local residents within close walking distance of their homes.
• The walkabouts identified that a number of the streets with HMOs are very narrow. There is excessive parking which leads to safety issues with cars parking on pavements. The NP would like to encourage HMOs to include cycle parking/storage and promotion of car clubs. There is also an issue with bin storage in the narrow residential streets.

Additional Evidence about HMOs