A South East council has just introduced new rules preventing smaller homes being converted into Houses of Multiple Occupation across three of its wards.

This now means that any proposals to convert houses into HMOs will need to ‘pass’ Arun council’s normal planning process rather than as before coming under ‘permitted development’, preventing houses in parts of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton of ‘morphing’ into small HMOs.

Article 4 directions, the council’s new rules,  are a planning tool that may be used in local areas to remove ‘permitted development rights’, such as placing restrictions on residential homes being converted into HM0s in an area which the council perceives of having a glut of this type of housing.

A council spokesman says: “This is great news for Arun. These changes will allow the council to protect the quality of our natural and built environment as a planning application will now need to be made before converting a house into an HMO for up to six people. This will allow us to better manage the creation of HMOs and their impact on the wellbeing of the community in these three wards.

“We understand the need for development, but as we say in our council vision, it’s about delivering the right homes in the right places.”