COUNCIL bosses want to make it harder to create houses of multiple occupation in Blackburn with Darwen - amid concerns too many vulnerable people are being attracted to the borough.

New bedsit, or HMO, numbers have rocketed locally in the past decade - in 2011 there were 129 properties, including hostels, within the borough’s boundaries.

But by this year there were 390, a rise of 200 per cent. Bed spaces in 2015 were estimated at 506 and now there are around 1,170.

And tenants are being blamed for ongoing anti-social behaviour, prostitution and street drinking and drug usage which blight Blackburn town centre in particular.

Several then-wards, including Shear Brow, Corporation Park, Wensley Fold, Mill Hill, Ewood, Sudell and Sunnyhurst, were made the subject of a special direction in 2013, meaning any HMO application would require a full planning permission.

Now town hall chiefs want to take away permitted development rights, under town and country planning legislation, for would-be landlords in every urban area in Blackburn with Darwen.

Council leader Cllr Phil Riley said: “The government provides significant incentives, through the housing benefits system, which make HMOs a commercially attractive proposition to operators.

“This kind of accommodation brings with it a significant number of vulnerable people, who may have addiction or mental health difficulties, into Blackburn with Darwen.

“It is not right that a borough the size of ours, and our social services and NHS provisions, should be placed under such strain by those with no prior connections to Blackburn or Darwen.

“I think it is right that we should look at ways of addressing this issue, to ensure we get the balance right for local residents.”

In a report to the borough’s planning committee, it was said: “The borough has high proportions of poor-quality housing stock, which can be bought cheaply, and is located in the most deprived and urban areas of the borough.

“This type of cheap and low-standard accommodation is generally bought by landlords and converted to HMOs in the anticipation of generating high levels of revenue as HMOs operate within a private market and attract an enhanced rate of housing benefit.

“This type of HMO accommodation generally attracts and houses vulnerable persons with multiple and complex needs, who, once resident in the borough, require intense support from the council, including benefit claims, and from across the public sector, including the emergency and support services.

“High proportions of the borough’s benefit claims are made in relation to mental and behavioural problems, and claimants commonly originate from outside of the Blackburn with Darwen area meaning the borough involuntarily imports a high percentage of adults with complex needs. Demand for HMOs is not generated from a local need.

“Vulnerable persons are largely those with the most challenging and complex behaviours, resulting in increases of incidences of rough sleeping, street begging, anti-social behaviour, violence, street-working, street drug and alcohol use and general criminality within the borough.

“Significant proportions of criminal and anti-social behaviour relate to HMO residents, particularly in Blackburn and Darwen town centres.”

Council cabinet members have endorsed the move and approval by the full council next Thursday is awaited.