Restrictions on HMOs in Kegworth is going ahead

Parish concern at negative impact they have on village

A MOVE by North West Leicestershire District Council to introduce restrictions on Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Kegworth is going ahead, despite a setback because of an administration error in the necessary build up to a decision that has to be made.

The district council says it is moving towards an Article 4 Direction for the whole of Kegworth.

Once the direction comes into force planning permission will be required within the village before a single family dwelling house can be converted into a small house in multiple occupation.

The direction will apply to houses of Class C4 Use where between three and six unrelated people share basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom.

HMOs are often occupied by students, but over recent years, have expanded to include more young professionals and single workers.

The move follows concerns from the parish council at Kegworth over the problems where existing houses have been turned into multiple use involving accommodation for students from the Nottingham University campus at Sutton Bonington.

The parish is worried about the negative impact it says the HMOs are having on the village character, well-being and housing profile and asked the district council to issue the Article 4 direction.

The parish has identified a number of concerns it has regarding the proliferation of HMOs within the village, saying in particular they are resulting in a lack of available housing for first time buyers and families.

It also highlights car parking issues because of insufficient parking provision within the curtilage of properties

The district council says that HMOs are recognised as meeting an important and specific housing need, such as providing a form of rented, affordable accommodation at a time when many people cannot afford to buy a property and that they also provide a suitable form of accommodation for students and others who may only want to stay in the area on a temporary basis.

But the council also admits that high concentrations of HMOs can present challenges to the future sustainability of neighbourhoods and impact on their character, amenity and well-being.

For the period to December 2019, Council Tax Records show there to be 173 properties within Kegworth wholly occupied by students.

The district council says information identifies there to be a total of 174 HMOs and/or student properties within Kegworth, and where higher concentrations of HMOs can be found, for example within Station Road, Wyvelle Crescent, Hollands Way, London Road and Pritchard Drive.

Contact has also been made with the University of Nottingham, given the close proximity of its Sutton Bonington Campus and the university says that for the academic year 2018/2019, a total of 604 students provided a term time address in Kegworth.

The university has recently announced its intention to increase the number of students at the Veterinary School by moving to a two-year intake in the new academic year, September 2019 and April 2020.

Some of these additional students may look to live in Kegworth due to its proximity to the campus and its good range of services and facilities further increasing the demand for HMO type accommodation.

There is also evidence from the parish council that people employed at the nearby East Midlands Gateway development are residing in HMOs in Kegworth, and there is also significant interest being received from potential workers, particularly around the time when recruitment is being undertaken by companies operating at this site.

Informal discussions with estate agents also suggest that there is an ongoing pressure on the availability of family housing, as they have suggested that homeowners looking to rent out a property are more likely to do so as a HMO rather than a family home, as the rental levels are significantly higher.