Council approves tougher HMO rules

The East Durham Communities Standing Together group has been campaigning for stricter regulations

New planning rules which make it tougher for landlords to convert properties into shared housing have been approved.

Reform-run Durham County Council has supported a proposal to introduce an Article 4 Direction, which requires owners to apply for planning permission when converting properties into Homes in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

Currently, properties for between three and six occupants can be converted without planning permission.

Campaigners said they were "absolutely thrilled" and added the changes would help to improve people's quality of life, following an increase in HMOs in certain areas.

"This is going to be huge for the community, because people will now be able to know if the house next door is HMO, because they'll be notified," said Matthew Tough, the secretary of East Durham Communities Standing Together group, which has been calling for more regulations.

"They'll get a chance to object. If there's any parking concerns in the street, they'll be noted and recorded."

Councillor Lyndsey Fox, cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said there had been a "steady increase" in HMOs outside of Durham City over the past few years, with the number rising more significantly since 2021.

"Residents have expressed concerns that the increase in HMOs is negatively impacting residential amenity and local character," Fox said.

"In these circumstances, it is considered an Article 4 is needed to enable the proper planning of the county to maintain mixed and balanced communities by requiring planning applications to be submitted for HMO use."

'A lot safer'

Article 4 regulations are currently in place in areas around Durham City popular with students, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

However, East Durham Communities Standing Together group had warned an expansion of the rules was needed, as some of the county's most deprived areas were being targeted by private landlords.

Mr Tough added the county council would now be able to scrutinise proposed designs and call applications to committee so it could be debated.

"They can ensure that it's going to be safe for all parties involved - the tenants, the community. It'll just be a lot safer for everybody involved," he said.

Councillor Nicola Lyons, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and environment, added that HMOs could provide an affordable form of accommodation for a wide range of groups.

"However, an overconcentration of this type of housing can have a negative impact on day-to-day life for communities, often because of issues such as increased noise, the general appearance of properties, refuse management, and parking issues," she added.

The new measures were approved at a cabinet meeting on Monday. A public consultation will be held before a final decision is made later this year.