Published Monday 5 September 2022 at 12:33
Residents are being asked to have their say on Blackburn with Darwen Council’s proposed crackdown on new HMOs.
HMOs are houses in multiple occupation where at least three people who aren’t from the same household rent a space and share facilities like bathrooms and kitchens.
The Council is now looking to impose a ban on properties being changed into HMOs without applying for planning permission.
It’s called an ‘Article 4 Direction’ and the local authority wants to introduce the rule right across the borough.
Councillor Quesir Mahmood, the Council’s Executive Member for Growth and Development, explained:
We are proud to be a growing borough and we want the best for our residents, including quality housing.
In the last 12 years, we’ve seen a massive increase in HMOs in our borough from 129 to almost 400.
Currently, we estimate that there are around 1,000 bed spaces in HMOs in Blackburn with Darwen which is far more than our neighbouring boroughs and disproportionate to our local needs.
Due to the number of beds, it often means that people – many being incredibly vulnerable – are brought from outside of the borough to one of these HMOs and it’s putting a huge strain on services for our residents.
Existing Article 4 Directions have proven successful in wards across the borough with HMOs only been agreed there in ‘exceptional circumstances.’
Now, due to the increase in HMO numbers, the Council is looking to roll out the restrictions to cover the whole urban area of the borough.
Councillor Mahmood added:
Currently, outside of those areas with an existing Article 4 Direction in place, property owners can change what tend to be large family homes into HMOs without consent as planning permission isn’t needed.
This new rule would stop that by requiring a planning application so the Council can make a considered decision on a proposed HMO.
It would mean we could take a much tougher stance on HMOs, which we know can be a magnet for anti-social behaviour and often are in need of improved standards.
For many owners, the HMOs are incredibly lucrative, but the sheer number of them is having a negative impact on our borough and we want to take action to stop that.
The Article 4 Direction is one way we can look to crackdown, but we also need Government to act or give us new powers to address standards, licensing and the regulation of this sector.
The Council has also recently received almost £1m of Government funding to give new ways to help tenants in supported housing along with new enforcement measures – and crack down on unscrupulous landlords.
The cash, from the government’s £20 million Supported Housing Improvement Programme, will allow for more frequent and thorough inspections of supported housing.
Find out more about that funding.
Public consultation
The Council must go through a set process to be able to implement the Article 4 Direction.
The first step is for the Council to state they wish to make a new Direction – this was done on August 8th.
Now, a public consultation is being undertaken and we are inviting comments on the proposed Article 4 before 5pm on Friday, September 23rd.
Copies of the Direction, the plans showing the areas included and a report setting out the Council’s justification are available on the Council website.
They can also be viewed at Blackburn and Darwen Town Halls, the borough libraries and the Barlow Institute in Edgeworth.
Comments should be emailed to: forwardplanning@blackburn.gov.uk or posted to:
Article 4 Consultation, Strategic Planning Team, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 3rd Floor., One Cathedral Square, BB1 1FB.The Council must consider all comments it receives before it can confirm the new rules. If confirmed, the Direction is likely to take effect from September 2023.