Greenwich adds HMO conversion rules as Plumstead residents ask for more
Planners recommend refusing three HMO conversions under new rules, while a 150-strong Plumstead group wants a meeting with the planning cabinet member.
Greenwich councillors now have more grounds to refuse applications to convert homes into houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). The council's cabinet member for planning, Tom Creswell, introduced the measures after calls for a tougher stance.
Two new planning rules apply. A home with a gross internal area under 130sqm cannot be converted into an HMO. Permission for a new HMO will also not be granted if three existing or permitted HMOs are among the nearest ten properties.
Greenwich planners have recommended refusal of three HMO conversion applications because of the rules. They are 82 Bramblebury Road and 70 St Margarets Terrace in Plumstead, and 12 Halons Road in Eltham. The properties fall short of the 130sqm threshold. The Local Planning Committee is due to consider them on October 27.
Creswell said: "These new measures show that we're serious about cracking down on rogue HMO landlords." He said the council wants to protect family-sized homes while also providing affordable rental properties for residents, such as house shares.
He said the council has added new guidance on its HMO policy as part of the emerging Local Plan. He also said new enforcement powers could lead to a £40,000 fine for landlords without an HMO licence.
Local Voices on HMOs, a Plumstead residents' group with 150 members, said it welcomed the limit on HMOs in properties under 130sqm. Its spokesperson said more must be done on over-concentration and to protect family homes, and that the council needs better coordination between planning, licensing and enforcement.
The group said it has asked to meet Creswell and is still waiting. "We are not anti-HMO; we are residents who care about our community," its spokesperson said. The council did not say whether a meeting will happen or when.
