Public Consultation: Houses in Multiple Occupation

Since its adoption in October 2021 the Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) SPD has provided further guidance to support the council’s determination of planning applications to ensure that new HMO developments meet the requirements of our policies in terms of providing new housing, whilst ensuring this does not have a negative impact on the living conditions of local residents and the character and amenity of local communities. While the SPD is primarily for use by prospective planning applicants, property developers and landowners, it also helps local residents understand how the council applies its planning policies and what type of developments require planning permission, as not all HMOs require planning permission.

Overall, it is considered the SPD has performed well in presenting and providing further explanation to support the Council’s adopted development plan policies with regard to considering planning applications for HMOs. However, it is considered necessary to refresh the SPD to include minor updates to how we consider the impact of planning applications which seek to enlarge existing HMOs, updates to underlying census data used to record and access the location and concentration of HMOs, as well as other factual changes.

The suggested changes to the SPD are presented as a series of amendments as shown at Planning policy guidance | BETA - South Gloucestershire Council

Please note for the purposes of defining ‘localities’ within which HMOs are located the SPD refresh is proposing that the 2021 Census Output Areas should now replace the previous 2011 output areas as the basis for the HMO Mapping Locator Tool and as set out at the start of section 5 of the HMO SPD. The new Locator Map is intended to replace the existing Map once the SPD Refresh is adopted following the close of the public consultation and consideration of the comments received.

Comments on the SPD should be sent to policy.consultation@southglos.gov.uk

Public consultation on the Refresh of the Houses in Multiple Occupation: Guidance for New Developments SPD runs from 12 September to 26 October.