Local Plan Main Modifications Consultation

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Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are defined as having a shared toilet, bathroom or kitchen that is the main residence of three or more occupiers who form a household. HMOs can and do help to meet the housing need within the Borough by providing diverse and affordable properties. However, they can tend to be grouped together as certain property types are more suitable for conversion than others. [added]

This can lead to clustering and HMOs becoming the dominant type of accommodation within an area. [added] It is possible for single dwelling units to be converted into an HMO of between 3 and 6 household units without planning permission. [removed]

In November 2025 South Tyneside Council took the decision to make an immediate Article 4 Direction to remove permitted development rights across the Borough (excluding the Lawe Top area of South Shields) for the change of use from dwelling houses (Class C3) to small HMOs (Class C4). An Article 4 Direction is a direction under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) which enables the local planning authority to withdraw specified permitted development rights across a defined area. [added]

The Direction was made in response to an increase in the number of Use Class C3 dwellings being converted into small Class C4 HMOs and where such changes of use are taking place using national permitted development rights. [added]

In South Shields Town Centre, an Article 4 Direction has been in place since 2014 (Lawe Top Article 4 Direction Area).  The effect of both Article 4 Directions is to require the owner of any residential properties in South Tyneside to apply for planning permission, should they want to convert a residential property into a ‘small HMO’. [added]

The Houses of Multiple Occupancy Topic Paper (2023) sets out the distribution and local impacts of HMO’s in South Tyneside. [removed]

HMOs can and do help to meet the housing need within the borough by providing diverse and affordable properties. However, they can tend to be grouped together as certain property types are more suitable for conversion than others. [removed]

This can lead to clustering and HMOs becoming the dominant type of accommodation within an area. [removed]

In South Tyneside, HMOs are typically clustered around areas of old, larger housing that can often be easily converted into multiple units. Government has recognised that high clusters of HMOs in an area can lead to:

• Increased anti-social behaviour, noise, nuisance, and crime
• Imbalanced and unsustainable communities
• Negative impacts on the physical environment
• Parking pressures
• Pressure on community facilities.

Therefore, when assessing applications for HMOs, consideration will be given to the impact on the amenity of the area, the impact of additional traffic generation and the existence of other HMOs.

When considering whether there is an over concentration of HMO properties within the locality, the Council will consider each proposal on its individual merits, taking into account the numbers and concentration of existing HMOs and the character of the area.

To reduce the immediate impact of HMO’s on residential properties in Use Class C3, [added] and to assist in reducing over [removed] managing [added] concentrations of HMOs [added] in a localised area, planning [added] permission for new HMOs [added] will not be approved where it would lead to a residential property being directly ‘sandwiched’ between two HMO’s.

An article 4 direction is a direction under article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order which enables the local planning authority to withdraw specified permitted development rights across a defined area. In South Shields Town Centre (Lawe Top Article 4 Direction Area) we require the owner of a residential properties to apply for planning permission, should they want to convert a residential property into a ‘small HMO’. [removed]

Where an application for a new HMO falls within the Lawe Top Article 4 Area (Inset Map 21), permission will only be granted where the number of HMO’s, within 100m from the application site is below 10% of the total number of properties.

In assessing planning applications for new HMOs, a 100-metre circle radius will be drawn from the address point (middle of the property). The percentage calculation will count residential properties whose address point falls within the circle. Dwelling houses and HMOs that are located within blocks of flats or subdivided properties are counted as one property. Residential institutions, care homes, hostels and purpose- built student accommodation and other specialist housing are also counted as one property per block. This will ensure that calculations of HMO concentration are not skewed.

The application of this [removed] these [added] criteria will contribute to the management of over [removed] the [added] concentration of HMOs in this area.

Justified

Effective