Issue - meetings

Received and noted this report presented by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration.

Following debate, it was agreed that the Cabinet Member would provide a written reply to Members regarding questions raised in connection with:

1.  possible compensation claims, and

2.  the level of housing benefits paid to families living in properties that have been converted to multiple occupation dwellings.

Agreed to make a non-immediate Article 4 Direction, covering the whole borough, withdrawing permitted development rights for changes of use from use class C3 (dwelling house) to use class C4 (house in multiple occupation).

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration presented a report on the proposal to withdraw permitted development rights for the change of use of dwelling houses (Class C3) to houses in multiple occupation (Class C4).

The Cabinet Member advised that using powers available under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, the Secretary of State issued directions that with effect from 1 October 2010 planning permission is no longer required to convert a dwelling house into a small home in multiple occupation (HMO).  This Council’s Unitary Development Plan, adopted in 1995, includes policies to control HMOs in view of the particular concerns regarding the number of family homes being lost to conversions and the new Borough-wide Development Policies DPD contains similar provisions to address this on-going concern.

Article 4 of the Order enables local authorities to issue a direction withdrawing permitted development rights where they would undermine local objectives to create or maintain mixed communities, thereby requiring appropriate planning consent to be obtained from the local authority for any such developments.  The Cabinet Member also drew attention to the arrangements for issuing either an immediate or non-immediate direction.

Agreed, in order to support the Community Priority “Prosperous”, to recommend to the Assembly the making of a non-immediate Article 4 Direction, covering the whole borough, withdrawing permitted development rights for changes of use from use class C3 (dwelling house) to use class C4 (house in multiple occupation).