Seal of approval for new housing controls
New controls for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) on Wearside have been given the seal of approval by council chiefs.
Earlier in 2020, Sunderland City Council launched a consultation on a supplementary planning document (SPD) to help beef up planning rules around new HMOs.
HMOsaregenerallydefined as properties where three or more people, who do not form one household, are living together.
While recognising the part the property types play in providing housing within the private rented sector, the SPD noted the “harmful impacts” associated with high numbers.
This included reduced social cohesion, housing choice and community engagement and other issues such as noise, disturbance and on-street parking.
The new guidance, which was approved by the city council’s ruling cabinet, will allow the authority to ‘control the development’ of new HMOs.
This includes preventing the ‘sandwiching effect’ where a residential dwelling would become located between two HMOs.
In addition, the rules would aim to prevent the develop“[Cllr Johnston] has really ment of new HMOs where had tenacity and empathy with more than 10% of the residenresidents and councillors who tial units within 100 metres of have had to deal with a range of the application site are already issues both good and bad in rein use as a HMO. lation to HMOs,” she said.
The guidance would apply “I really welcome this reto all planning applications for port, it’s been a lot of hard work new HMOs. and I really think it shows a step
Cllr Kevin Johnston, deputy change in the council of us liscabinet member for Dynamtening and reacting to our resiic City, said the SPD would be dents and their needs.” a “real positive change” and Cllr Linda Williams, cabiwould give the council more net member for Vibrant City, control to manage the develalso welcomed the controls. opment of HMOs across Sun“I think HMOs have caused derland. some difficulties in certain are
Cllr Rebecca Atkinson, cabas of the city, it must be a nightinet member for Dynamic City, mare if you’re sandwiched also thanked council officers between two, so this is going and Cllr Johnston for working to stop that and spread groups on the project. around,” she said.