The human version (we wrote this, not the council)
This section presents the plan's approach to homes in multiple occupation and student accommodation. It notes these uses add housing choice but can affect local amenity, so management is needed. The policy requires safe living environments and protection of neighbours, caps HMOs at 10% of homes within a 100 metre radius, requires sites within a 400 metre walk of a bus stop with at least hourly peak services, and prevents layouts that sandwich an ordinary home between HMOs or create a frontage of three or more.
An unofficial plain English summary. The official wording below is
what counts at examination; check it before you rely on anything here.
The text below is extracted automatically from the official PDF and may
contain artefacts; the PDF is authoritative.
Homes in Multiple Occupancy and Student
Accommodation
Policies within this section contribute to achieving the following Strategic
Objectives:
SO2. Delivering homes that meet the needs of all our communities
SO8. Improving the quality of life of our communities
5.6.1 Homes in multiple occupancy and student accommodation provide additional
choice in the housing market however they can present challenges to local standards of
amenity. Management of these forms of accommodation is therefore necessary
mitigate the potential issues that may arise.
Policy HO.13
Homes in Multiple Occupancy and Student Accommodation
Proposals for student accommodation and Homes in Multiple Occupation (HMO) will
be supported where:
a. residential use is acceptable in principle and where existing buildings are
proposed for conversion, the conversion provides a satisfactory safe living
environment and amenity for the intended occupiers
b. there would be no significant adverse impact on the amenities of neighbouring
properties by virtue of the intensification of use
c. the proportion of dwelling units in multiple occupation (including the proposal)
within a 100m radius of the application site does not exceed 10% of total
dwelling units;
d. the application site is within 400m walking distance of a bus stop where
services are at least hourly at peak times;
e. the proposal does not result in a non-HMO dwelling being sandwiched
between two HMO’s;
f. the proposal does not lead to a continuous frontage of three or more HMOs;
g. adequate provision is made for the storage of refuse containers whereby the
containers are not visible from an area accessible by the general public and
can be moved to the collection point along an external route only.
Exceptions to (a) may be made where the application site is located:
i. on the campus