A planning clampdown aimed at making it harder to turn family houses into bedsits has come into force in East Lancashire's largest borough.

Now any move to convert an ordinary home into a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Blackburn with Darwen will require full planning permission.

In July the borough's full Council Forum voted unanimously to authorise an Article 4 Direction which will regulate the creation of bedsit properties in all urban areas across the borough.

HMOs are homes where at least three people who aren’t from the same household rent a space and share facilities like bathrooms and kitchens.

Before the new regulations were introduced, houses in many parts of the borough could be changed into HMOs without the need for applying for planning permission.

In 2013 several then-wards, including Shear Brow, Corporation Park, Wensley Fold, Mill Hill, Ewood, Sudell and Sunnyhurst, were made the subject of the special Article 4 direction meaning any HMO application would require a full planning permission.

HMO numbers have rocketed in the borough during the past decade - in 2011 there were 129 but by last year there were 390 - a 200 per cent increase.

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

Now the borough council has officially taken away permitted development rights under planning legislation for would-be landlords in every urban area in Blackburn with Darwen.

The move - first promoted in August 2022 - follows a 12 month lead-in period and a consultation exercise.

From August 9 the direction has officially come into force meaning such conversions will only be allowed as an exception.

Cllr Quesir Mahmood, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s development boss, said: "We wanted to take a real hard line on HMOs in our borough.

"Whilst the planning actions taken so far to resist additional HMO approvals in designated areas are considered to have been successful, there have been increasing concerns the number of HMO beds in the borough is still growing.

"Currently, we estimate there are around 1,000 bed spaces in HMOs here which is far more than our neighbouring boroughs and disproportionate to our local needs.

"Due to the number of beds, it often means that people – many incredibly vulnerable – are brought from outside of the borough to one of the HMOs and it’s putting a huge strain on services for our residents.

"For many owners, the HMOs are incredibly lucrative, but the sheer number of them is having a negative impact on our borough.

"These new powers mean we can take a much tougher stance on HMOs, which we know can be a magnet for anti-social behaviour and often are in need of improved standards."