Senior councillors have approved a proposed crackdown on moves to turn family houses into bedsits in nine wards.

Burnley Council is seeking to tightening the planning rules around converting properties into houses of multiple occupation (HMO) in areas with high student populations.

A report to its executive on Wednesday recommended removing permitted development rights which allow a house to be changed into a small HMO without planning permission.

It sees the borough follow Blackburn with Darwen in enforcing a clampdown on the controversial form of housing after the towns' council brought the restriction in over the summer.

An HMO is a property shared by at least three people not of the same family with shared facilities.

Currently a single dwelling can be converted into an HMO for between three and six people without the need for planning permission.

Burnley Council wards to be impacted by HMO clampdown

  • Trinity
  • Bank Hall
  • Daneshouse with Stoneyholme
  • Rosegrove with Lowerhouse
  • Gannow
  • Gawthorpe
  • Queensgate
  • Brunshaw
  • Rosehill with Burnley Wood

Under the proposals put forward by the council - known as an Article 4 direction - anyone wanting to do that would have to submit a planning application as is the case with larger HMOs.

The report said an concentrations of bedsit houses could cause problems including anti-social behaviour, noise and nuisance and pressures upon parking .

It said the government was unlikely to agree to a borough wide scheme and that HMOs could have benefits by providing flexible low-cost housing, particularly for younger people and those on low incomes.

The report said: "The evidence does show however that it would be appropriate to consider to introduce an Article 4 direction covering the following wards: Trinity, Bank Hall, Daneshouse with Stoneyholme, Rosegrove with Lowerhouse, Gannow, Gawthorpe, Queensgate, Brunshaw, and Rosehill with Burnley Wood.

"In these wards there is evidence of concentrations of HMOs and student dwellings and this is having a detrimental effect in relation to amenity, character and well-being of the areas.

"These areas also suffer from relatively high levels of crime and environmental complaints."

Burnley Council housing boss Cllr John Harbour said: "The proposal to remove permitted development rights won’t prevent HMOs being created but it will give the council more control over how many there are and where.

"We will monitor progress on this and look at the situation elsewhere in the borough.”

The proposals will be subject to six weeks of public consultation and government approval.

A further report will be taken to the executive in Spring 2024 to decide whether to confirm the proposal.

If authorised, the new arrangement is set to come into force in October 2024.