Campaigners call for meeting over HMO fears

The campaign group says cheap properties are being converted by landlords

Campaigners are calling for talks with councillors as they continue their fight for controls to manage the number of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

The East Durham Communities Standing Together group claims some of the county's most deprived areas are being targeted by private landlords attracted by low house prices.

Earlier this year, its petition asking Durham County Council to inform people about new HMO applications in the area was signed by more than 150 people.

However, the authority says it will not apply additional measures due to the "low proportion of HMOs" in the area and "no evidence" they are causing issues.

Dr Brian Brown, chair of the campaign group, said: "The attraction is clearly the price of housing.

"If you go to Blackhall or Horden, there are streets of empty houses. There's real concern among residents.

"We want to put our arguments to the councillors and officials and let's see what their arguments against ours are."

'Anxiety in the community'

The group, which staged another protest outside the council's County Hall headquarters in an effort to raise awareness of the issue, is urging the authority to introduce measures known as Article 4 direction.

It would mean landlords or agents involved with developments for six or fewer people would need to apply for planning permission and bring them in line with requirements for larger schemes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Fellow campaigner Matt Tough said: "Applying Article 4 direction won't stop [HMOs], but it will mean they all go through proper planning permission, which is only right given the amount of anxiety in the community."

Councillor James Rowlandson, cabinet member for resources, investment and assets, said the authority had to follow national legislation.

"We can apply to the government to implement an Article 4 direction where there is evidence of HMOs having a detrimental impact on the community.

"However, there is a very low proportion of HMOs in East Durham and there is no evidence that they are causing issues."

Rowlandson said the issue had been "discussed in depth" at a recent meeting on the council's housing strategy and was due to be raised again later this year.