Yet another council is proposing a major crackdown to limit the number of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

Stoke-on-Trent council wants a city-wide Article 4 Direction, which would remove development rights that currently allow family homes to be converted into HMOs without the need for a planning application. 

Any future conversion would require planning permission.  

It says an application would be assessed against a policy in the council’s forthcoming Local Plan that limits concentrations of HMOs.

The new rules would prevent clusters of HMOs appearing across the city. 

New HMOs would not be allowed where they would mean HMOs make up more than 5% of all residential properties within a 50-metre radius.

There will also be a cap on the total number of HMOs within each ward. This will be set at 4% of residential properties for wards where there are already a very high number of HMOs, 2.5% for wards where there are a high number, and 1.5% for all other wards. 

The rules say there cannot be two HMOs side-by-side with a single frontage, and other homes should not be “sandwiched” between two HMOs. 

At the same time, the council is proposing, subject to the outcome of statutory consultation, an Additional Licensing Scheme for HMOs across the city. 

This would bring smaller HMOs into a formal regulatory framework and allow the council to set and enforce standards. Existing licence conditions would be strengthened. 

The proposals – which will be considered by the ruling cabinet next week – are part of drive to limit the growth of HMOs and address concerns raised by residents about the impact of high concentrations of shared housing. 

It aims to strike a balance, ensuring that HMOs provide safe and well-managed accommodation while maintaining balance and sustainable neighbourhoods.  

The council commissioned consultants to review the impact of HMOs in Stoke-on-Trent. It found that in all but one of the city’s wards, at least 1% of homes are HMOs, with significantly higher percentages in some urban areas. 

A report to councillors says: “While the impacts on individual wards will vary due to different amounts and concentrations, the quality of accommodation, managing environmental and social impacts and the need to retain a balanced housing stock across the city remain key challenges.” 

A council spokesperson says: “Houses of multiple occupation have a place in terms of meeting the significant housing needs within the city – they can be an important step on the ladder for people looking for a home, but they need to be of high quality and proportionate.

“For this reason, they need to be strictly controlled to ensure they do not have a disproportionate impact on neighbourhoods and are of a sufficiently high standard. So, we are proposing to take the toughest action we can to ensure this.

“The evidence in Stoke-on-Trent shows HMOs are concentrated in a number of urban neighbourhoods, and that the impact – in terms of noise, waste, and demand on parking – are most acute where concentrations are highest. 

“The measures being proposed are a proportionate response. They would control the spread of HMOs while improving standards and allowing for effective enforcement.”