Bolton bids to tighten grip on HMO development

The borough claims it has a “disproportionately high number of HMOs” and is pursuing the introduction of measures to wrestle back control.

Bolton Council was seeking to approved in principle the implementation of an Article 4 direction that would block permitted development rights for houses in multiple occupation across the whole of the borough.

The plan was approved by the council’s cabinet in April before Cllr David Grant’s immediately called the decision in. It was then discussed again at a special meeting of Bolton’s Place Scrutiny Committee, where it was decided to go ahead with the proposal.

The conversion of properties into HMOs for up to six people has been allowed under permitted development since 2010. This means planning permission is not required to carry out this type of project.

However, Bolton Council’s Article 4 will mean that developers wanting to create six-person HMOs in the borough will now need to get planning permission to do so.

By doing this, the council hopes to have more control of where and when HMOs are delivered in order to combat some of the negative impacts of this type of development.

A council report outlining the rationale for the Article 4 states that Bolton has 720 HMOs, equating to 0.56% of the borough’s dwelling stock. This is significantly higher than the national average of 0.07% the report states.

“Bolton Council receives high numbers of complaints about HMOs and suspected HMOs, with complaints often relating to overcrowding, safety concerns and nuisance neighbours,” the report says.

It adds that, generally, more crimes are committed in areas dominated by HMOs.

The Article 4 direction will cover the whole of the borough rather than focussing on areas with an already high concentration of HMOs such as Central Bolton, Tonge with the Haulgh, Chorley New Road, and Farnworth, to prevent growth in HMO development in other areas.

The report states that Bolton has learned lessons from similar approaches in Blackburn and Salford, which have both implemented Article 4s to control HMO development.

The Article 4 does not amount to a ban on the creation of new HMOs but will afford the council more control over where they are delivered. It will not be implemented immediately and will come into force after a 12-month transition period.