Hat trick of Oxfordshire HMOs given the green light

Case Studies

Hat trick of Oxfordshire HMOs given the green light


An end of terrace house in Oxford City Council has been awarded HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) status after receiving planning permission for the change of use thanks to ET Planning.

Obtaining HMO status in Oxford has become increasingly difficult in recent years since the Council introduced an Article 4 Direction which removes permitted development rights for the change of use of a C3 Dwellinghouse to a C4 HMO for up to six people. This policy was introduced in order to manage the number of HMOs in the area.

In support of their client’s vision to increase the number of occupants, ET Planning produced a planning statement which demonstrated that granting HMO status for this property was acceptable in principle, and they provided evidence to support this.

The planning statement explained that there would not be any requirement for external changes in order to transition to an HMO.

ET Planning also demonstrated that this change of use was supported by the local plan. The local plan indicates that the proportion of buildings within 100m of the application site used as HMOs should not exceed 20% and in this case the proportion was 8.5%. This change of use therefore contributes positively to the variety of properties in the local area.

With an increase of residents, parking was identified as a potential issue and so as part of the application ET Planning made note that one parking space would be provided for the property as well as ample cycle storage. An assessment of public transport accessibility was also included; highlighting that directly outside the property is a bus stop which has links to the town centre and local train station.

Stating that this proposal was in line with the National Planning Policy Framework and the National Design Guide ET Planning concluded that this change of use was acceptable. Planning permission was swiftly granted by the council under delegated powers.

The success of this application follows on from the success of 2 x 9 bedroom HMOs approved just over the border in Vale of White Horse District Council and South Oxfordshire District Council in September and October 2020 respectively.

Did you know ET Planning have just opened a new office in Central Oxford? If you have a planning enquiry which falls within Oxford and the surrounding areas and would like to speak to a planning consultant in our Oxford office please don’t hesitate to contact us.

 

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