Councillors vote in HMO Article 4 directive in Oldham

Oldham council has vowed to take action on a housing issue that is leaving residents ‘frustrated’ and ‘fed up’.

Locals claim the area is being ‘flooded’ by inappropriate HMOs – but under current planning law, local authorities have very limited power to stop them. 

Now that could be about to change.

Councillors voted in an ‘Article 4 direction’ for the entire borough, which will give the townhall more say in where and how HMOs are established. 

If the direction is approved by government, all HMOs will have to be vetted by town planners before they can open. Currently, only HMOs for seven or more people require planning permission. 

Councillor Neil Hindle said: “I have spoken to countless residents and the message has been consistent and heartfelt – our neighbourhoods are changing and not always for the better. 

“Failsworth is a proud and close-knit community but when family homes are converted into HMOs without consultation, it disrupts the balance of our streets.

"It puts pressure on parking, waste collection and local services, and most importantly it can undermine the sense of community. 

“This isn’t about denying people housing.

"This is about closing a loophole that allows developers to bypass the planning process that leaves residents with no say and no recourse.”

The motion was brought forward by the Shaw and Crompton and Failsworth independents and focussed on those two areas.

But an amendment by the Labour group extended the Article 4 direction across the entire borough. 

The idea was broadly supported by all political groups – though the Labour administration came under fire for ‘going round the houses’, with calls for an Article 4 directive raised by councillors from 2022. 

The motion passed unanimously, with the Article 4 Directive due to come into force by January 1st, 2026, unless it’s called in by the government. 

But there is a catch. Residents are calling for a blanket ban on HMOs, which they claim are ‘eroding community assets’ and ‘ruining the community’ by replacing family homes with transient renters. 

However, deputy leader Elaine Taylor, Oldham’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods, explained to the LDRS: “We need to be clear:

"This doesn’t mean we can stop HMOs.

"But we can look at things like clustering of lots of HMOs in one area, making sure town centres aren’t being taken over by HMOs, or mitigating their impacts on local infrastructure.

"Those policies will have to be worked up as part of our local plan.

“It’s a statement from us as a local authority to say ‘we want to have that input’.

"We might not be able to stop someone turning a pub into a HMO.

"But we might stop them putting 12 people in, and instead they put six in, and make sure there’s amenities for each of them. 

“What we want is fit-for-purpose HMOs that offer decent, secure, suitable housing for people.”

She emphasised that there are plenty of ‘wonderful HMOs’ that are vital for housing short-term workers or those who simply cannot afford to live anywhere else – but the Directive would crack down on poor quality accommodation.

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