RESOLVED:

A. Following review of the consultation responses as well as consideration of legal advice from an external barrister, that Cabinet agreed to recommend to Council that the Immediate Article 4 Direction for small HMOs be Confirmed for the following wards: Figge’s Marsh; Graveney; Longthornton; Pollards Hill; Colliers Wood; Cricket Green and Lavender Fields.

B. Cabinet noted that there is an ongoing risk of compensation claims being submitted for any small HMOs (6 person and under) that relied on the permitted development rights that have been removed in the 7 wards, and note that claims are only valid if a planning application is submitted within 12 months from the introduction of the Immediate Article 4 (17th November 2022) and then subsequently refused; or if additional Planning Conditions are applied that reduce the development’s value

C. Cabinet noted the update on Landlord Licensing and Empty Homes, including the proposed charges and conditions appended, and note that once the full consultation report has been provided to the Council by ORS, a further report will be brought back to Cabinet in June to agree the way forward for Landlord Licensing, following consideration of representations received.

D. Cabinet agreed that the additional cost of £75,000 for project management, housing staffing; and external legal fees up to Oct 23 (date of implementation) be funded by a transfer from the corporate contingency fund.

E. Cabinet delegated Authority to the Executive Director for Housing and Sustainable Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development to Approve the draft Supplementary Planning Document on HMOs for at least 6 weeks of public consultation and to approve any amendments required by proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development presented the report which followed extensive consultation and recommended confirmation of the Article 4 direction for the listed wards, following the introduction of an immediate direction introduced in those wards in November 2022. This and other channels had produced significant data which had been gathered and analysed and had demonstrated that those wards were likely to have more HMOs causing harm to the area and that were an immediate threat to the local amenity. The Cabinet Member gave an overview of the recommendations within the report.

In response to questions from Cabinet Members, the Cabinet Member responded that there would be an uplift in living conditions and standards in those wards and the recommendations, if approved by Council would enable the Council to employ housing officers to inspect HMOs before they were granted licences and require landlords to take remedial action before the licence was granted. The Leader thanked the Cabinet Member, officers and Councillors for their work.

RESOLVED:

A. Following review of the consultation responses as well as consideration of legal advice from an external barrister, that Cabinet agreed to recommend to Council that the Immediate Article 4 Direction for small HMOs be Confirmed for the following wards: Figge’s Marsh; Graveney; Longthornton; Pollards Hill; Colliers Wood; Cricket Green and Lavender Fields.

B. Cabinet noted that there is an ongoing risk of compensation claims being submitted for any small HMOs (6 person and under) that relied on the permitted development rights that have been removed in the 7 wards, and note that claims are only valid if a planning application is submitted within 12 months from the introduction of the Immediate Article 4 (17th November 2022) and then subsequently refused; or if additional Planning Conditions are applied that reduce the development’s value

C. Cabinet noted the update on Landlord Licensing and Empty Homes, including the proposed charges and conditions appended, and note that once the full consultation report has been provided to the Council by ORS, a further report will be brought back to Cabinet in June to agree the way forward for Landlord Licensing, following consideration of representations received.

D. Cabinet agreed that the additional cost of £75,000 for project management, housing staffing; and external legal fees up to Oct 23 (date of implementation) be funded by a transfer from the corporate contingency fund.

E. Cabinet delegated Authority to the Executive Director for Housing and Sustainable Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development to Approve the draft Supplementary Planning Document on HMOs for at least 6 weeks of public consultation and to approve any amendments required by proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework.