Agenda item

A petition has been received containing over 500 valid signatures stating the following:

Title: Introduce fair limits and control the spread of HMOs in Cambridge

Statement:

We the undersigned petition the council 1. Amend the Local Plan to set a clear '10% HMO threshold within a radius of 100m', across Cambridge, to prevent harmful over-concentration. (So if a property owner wants to convert an existing house into a HMO and at least 10% of the properties within a 100m radius of that house are already HMOs, the planning application is likely to be refused.) 2. Introduce Article 4 Directions in Cambridge requiring property owners to seek planning permission to convert an existing home into a permanent 'small' HMO for three to six people. (At the moment property owners only need to apply for planning permission to convert an existing property into a 'large' HMO for seven occupants or more.)

Justification:

Cambridge is an outlier among major university cities. While places like Oxford, Manchester and Bristol have defined thresholds which limit the percentage of houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) in a neighbourhood as well as Article 4 Directions which enable planners to control their spread, Cambridge has neither.

This lack of safeguards is allowing family homes to be rapidly converted into HMOs without proper oversight, leading to growing concentrations in some neighbourhoods. National planning guidance and councils across the UK recognise around 10% as the tipping point where too many HMOs begin to harm local communities - affecting parking, waste management, housing quality and neighbourhood stability.

In areas like Petersfield and Romsey in central Cambridge, that threshold has already been exceeded, with detrimental impacts on long-standing residents and HMO tenants alike.

The Cambridge Local Plan recognises the harm to local communities that can be caused by an over-concentration of HMOs in a neighbourhood. But at the moment in Cambridge, property investors do not need to get planning permission to convert a family home into a 'small' HMO - defined as a property for six unrelated people or fewer. There is also no clear numerical definition of what an "over-concentration" actually means.

We are calling for two practical, widely-used planning measures to address this:

1. Amend the Local Plan to set a clear '10% HMO threshold within a radius of 100m', across Cambridge, to prevent harmful over-concentration. (So if a property owner wants to convert an existing house into a HMO and at least 10% of the properties within a 100m radius of that house are already HMOs, the planning application is likely to be refused.)

2. Introduce Article 4 Directions in Cambridge, for example in Petersfield and Romsey, requiring property owners to seek planning permission to convert an existing home into a permanent 'small' HMO for three to six people. (At the moment property owners only need to apply for planning permission to convert an existing property into a 'large' HMO for seven occupants or more.)

Both of these measures are standard tools used by dozens of councils across the UK. They provide clarity for planners, reduce speculative conversions, and protect balanced, sustainable communities - while still allowing HMOs where they are needed.

Cambridge City Council has the power to act. This petition calls on them to do so.

The Petition organiser spoke in support of the petition highlighting the following points:

      i.         The petition called on the Council to introduce stronger planning controls on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) by setting a 10% HMO threshold within a 100m radius and introducing Article 4 Directions for small HMOs (3 to 6 occupants).

    ii.         Cambridge was unusual compared with other major university cities such as Oxford, Manchester and Bristol, as it currently had no defined HMO concentration threshold and no Article 4 Direction, limiting the council's ability to manage the spread of HMOs.

   iii.         The lack of controls had led to the rapid conversion of family homes into HMOs, contributing to concerns about issues such as parking, waste management, housing quality, neighbourhood stability and the loss of balanced communities.

  iv.         Some areas of Cambridge had already exceeded the commonly recognised 10% tipping point at which high concentrations of HMOs can begin to negatively affect residents and tenants.

    v.         The proposed measures were widely used planning tools adopted by many UK councils, and would provide clearer guidance for planners, reduce speculative property conversions, and help to maintain sustainable mixed communities while still allowing HMOs where they are needed.

Members debated the petition calling for stronger controls on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across Cambridge.

The Leader of the Council raised the following points:

  vi.         The Cabinet acknowledged the concerns raised in the petition and noted that HMO issues had featured prominently in responses to the Regulation 18 Local Plan consultation.

 vii.         Updated Local Plan policies relating to larger HMOs had recently been considered at scrutiny.

viii.         Officers had spent the past year gathering evidence to support consideration of an Article 4 Direction, with a report expected to be presented to Cabinet in the autumn.

  ix.         The Council was committed to progressing work on Article 4 Directions, and engaging with residents on the issue.

Key points raised in the wider debate included:

    x.         Several councillors welcomed the petition and expressed support for the introduction of Article 4 Directions as a way to improve oversight, enable better management of HMOs, and help ensure balanced communities.

  xi.         Multiple speakers stressed that HMOs remained an important component of Cambridge's housing mix as they provided accommodation for students, young professionals, lower-income residents, NHS workers, care workers and people new to the city.

 xii.         Councillors raised concerns about poor quality HMO accommodation, including overcrowding, inadequate communal space and poor property management.

xiii.         Councillors reported significant resident concerns with HMOs including concentration, pressure on parking and waste services, anti-social behaviour, loss of family housing stock, and changes to neighbourhood character.

xiv.         Residents' associations were recognised for their role in highlighting these issues and bringing them before the Council.

xv.         Some members argued that the growth in HMOs reflected wider housing shortages and an insufficient supply of social and affordable housing.

xvi.         Some concerns were raised about the effectiveness of a fixed 10% threshold, with suggestions that improving housing standards and increasing affordable housing provision may be more effective in addressing underlying issues.

xvii.         The Council's forthcoming Article 4 report and emerging Local Plan policies were identified as important next steps.