Policy D2 2017

Policy D2: Student Accommodation in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)

D2.1: In order to promote the creation of sustainable, inclusive and mixed communities and maintain an appropriate housing mix, development proposals for new build Houses in Multiple Occupation (both C4 and sui generis), extensions that result in additional bed-spaces, and changes of use from any use to:

1. a Class C4 (House in Multiple Occupation), where planning permission is required; or
2. a House in Multiple Occupation in a sui generis use (more than six people sharing)

will not be permitted if more than 10% of the total number of properties within 100 metres of the application site are already in use as HMOs or student accommodation exempt from council tax charges or the student population exceeds 20% of the total population in that area.

D2.2: In all cases development proposals will only be permitted where:

1. The quantity of cycle and car parking provided is in line with the Council’s adopted Parking and Accessibility Guidelines and Policies T3 and T4 of this Plan; and
2. They provide acceptable arrangements for bin storage and other shared facilities and consider other amenity issues; and
3. The design of the building or any extension would be appropriate in terms of the property itself and the character of the area; and
4. The applicant has shown that the security of the building and its occupants has been considered along with that of other local residents and legitimate users.

D2.3: Changes of use from an HMO to C3 will be supported. Opportunities to enable this will be explored as they arise in order to assist the re-balancing of neighbourhoods.

4.152 Policy Implementation Project 2 in Chapter 5 indicates how policy D2.3 could be taken forward.

Note: For justification see Policy D3

Next section: Policy D3: Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA)