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Proposed Article 4 Direction HMOs

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Have your say on HMOs

The council is proposing to apply for more control over Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) within the borough through an article 4 direction. On the 11 September 2024, the cabinet recommended to make a non-immediate Article 4 Direction applied to the whole borough. Cabinet report can be found in the link: Cabinet Decision 11 September 2024: Approved Article 4 Direction for HMO

An Article 4 Direction falls under the Town and Country (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (as amended).

A HMO is a house in which at least 3 unrelated tenants live and share facilities, e.g. a kitchen and a bathroom.

A smaller HMO is a shared house occupied be between 3 and 6 individuals. While a larger HMO is for more than 6 individuals living together.

Currently you only need planning permission to convert a house into a larger HMO, but you do not need permission to convert a house into a smaller HMO.

If approved the proposed article 4 direction would result in those wanting to develop a smaller HMO needing to obtain planning permission from the council prior to development. Planning application fees will apply and these can be found on the council's website: Walsall Council Planning Fees and Other Charges.

We are now seeking your views on whether the article 4 direction should be confirmed by the council.

If the direction is approved, it will be enforced on the 1 October 2025. From that date, anyone seeking to develop an HMO within the borough will need to go through the planning application process.

If you (or anyone you know) needs this information in an alternative format in order to have your / their say, i.e. large text, audio, or a community language, please email consultations@walsall.gov.uk or call 01922 650000 and we will work with you to meet your / their needs.

The closing date for comments is 5pm on the 11 November 2024.

All feedback and other information will be collected and considered as part of the decision making process.

Proposed Article 4 Direction boundary

Link to an online version of the proposed Article 4 Direction boundary map here.

In what capacity are you responding?

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Do you live in a HMO?

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Do you own one or more HMOs in the borough of Walsall?

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Are you intending to develop a HMO in the borough of Walsall in the next 12 months?

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Do you think the number of HMOs in the area where you live or operate your business in the borough of Walsall is too high, about right, or not enough?

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To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposal to make an article 4 direction so that smaller HMOs would require planning permission alongside larger HMOs?

Why do you say this? Please provide as much detail as possible in the box below.

When making decisions the council must pay due regard to those protected under the Equality Act 2010. The characteristics that are protected by the Equality Act 2010 are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership (in employment only), pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Are there any particular equality aspects you feel should specifically be taken into account when making our final decisions about the implementation of the article 4 direction for HMOs?

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Proposed Article 4 Direction HMOs

Have your say on HMOs

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