Solihull Council is expected to deliver an update later this year on efforts to manage the increasing number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across the borough.
The issue has gained traction recently, with Solihull’s Members of Parliament raising concerns and calling for further action.
Before the recent local elections, the Conservative-led council agreed to pursue stronger powers to regulate the growing number of HMOs. Currently, landlords can convert a family home into an HMO accommodating up to six residents without requiring planning permission.
READ MORE: DWP may protect PIP claimants over 50 from welfare reforms under Andy Burnham
READ MORE: New UK Law Bans Airline Fees for Parents Sitting with Children
In April, councillors passed a cross-party motion to lower the licensing threshold from six to three occupants by seeking to remove permitted development rights through an Article 4 directive-a measure adopted by other councils elsewhere in the country.
On 29 September, Solihull West and Shirley MP Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst and Meriden and Solihull East MP Saqib Bhatti wrote to council leader Karen Grinsell, highlighting residents’ worries about the proliferation and clustering of HMOs in the area. The MPs emphasised the importance of considering all appropriate planning tools in the borough’s new local plan to ensure HMOs remain at manageable levels and do not adversely impact established communities.
The local plan’s draft includes a policy addressing HMOs, stating that if an Article 4 direction is introduced to remove permitted development rights for change of use from family homes (Class C3) to small HMOs (Class C4), all such conversions will require planning permission.
During the 29 September economic development, managed growth and skills scrutiny board meeting, councillor Kathryn Thomas suggested aligning the plan’s wording more closely with the earlier cross-party motion. However, Mark Andrews, the council’s head of planning, design and engagement services, explained that the Article 4 direction is still undergoing the necessary legal processes, including public consultation, cabinet approval and legal notices.
“We are compiling the evidence needed to support an Article 4 and aim to present it to cabinet later this year,” Mr Andrews said. He added that the draft local plan was deliberately cautious to avoid potential legal challenges.
Councillor Thomas inquired about the implications if the Article 4 direction does not proceed. Mr Andrews responded that this could happen if there is insufficient evidence or if the directive faces a legal challenge, but stressed that the council is currently not near that stage.
Councillor Thomas also proposed including requirements for HMOs within larger new housing developments to distribute them more evenly across Solihull rather than confining them to existing urban areas. Mr Andrews cautioned that the lack of supporting evidence might lead to challenges during local plan examinations.
“That does not mean it isn’t the right thing to do,” Councillor Thomas replied, emphasising the fairness of the approach.
Cabinet portfolio holder for climate change and planning, Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, noted that market demand often influences developers’ provision of housing types. He pointed out the distinction between a six-bedroom HMO and a block of flats, and highlighted the preference for local planning decisions being made through neighbourhood plans rather than imposed mandates.
Residents and stakeholders await further details as the council progresses with its strategies to manage the growth and impact of HMOs within Solihull.