Concerns raised about HMOs in West Northants
There are more than a thousand homes of multiple occupancy in the district according to figures
Northampton residents have raised concerns about the density of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in the town and its effect on neighbours, as the Council has invited members of the public to have their say on its new Local Plan.
As of June 2024, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) reported that there were 1,006 licensed HMOs in Northampton, with almost three-quarters located in central Northampton, in the Castle, Abington and Phippsville, Delapre and Rushmere, and St. George wards.
According to WNC, there are also currently around 400 additional properties under investigation as suspected HMOs.
The Council held a drop-in event at the Guildhall on Monday, July 28, where local residents were encouraged to attend to learn more about the HMO policy and share feedback with the consultation team.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) at the event, Richard Shanahan, who lives next door to a HMO, said: “I don’t think it’s right that homeowners in these residential areas should have to put up with HMOs.
“They’re devaluing properties and the noise and the parking is a joke.”
The authority can manage the number of HMOs in the area through planning and licensing, which determines if a HMO can be converted in the first place and then monitors its condition and safety going forward.
WNC’s new Local Plan will guide development across the area until 2043 and will provide clear policies on when the creation or conversion of such a property would be acceptable.
Northampton resident Catherine Neville said on the effect of HMOs: “There’s rubbish on the streets and you don’t feel safe. Residents just feel pushed out.
“There should also be more openness and transparency about what the HMOs are going to be used for.”
Current planning rules include a 10 per cent concentration threshold, which means an application will not be supported if one in ten properties within a 50m radius are already HMOs. Other assessments on how conversions will affect existing neighbours and their amenities are also taken into consideration.
‘It’s a constant stream of applications’
Cllr Zoe Smith, who is a ward member for Abington and Phippsville, which is one of the areas most affected by HMOs, warned of the huge impact they had on families.
She said: “The sheer density of HMOs in Abington Phippsville means that house prices have come out of the affordability for a lot of ordinary families.
“We would argue that it also has a significant impact on parking, which doesn’t just affect drivers, it’s people trying to cross roads safely, people with mobility issues, wheelchair users, and parents with buggies.
“Just in our area, it’s a constant stream of applications and I feel that not a month goes by that we don’t have a new HMO application in our inbox.
“What we’d like to see is a much bigger voice for residents where they are listened to.”
She advocated for strengthening the Local Plan to allow the Council’s planning committee to feel more confident in turning some schemes down and to be backed up by policy.
Northampton resident Luke Hillery, who attended the drop-in event, said that he was looking for more fairness in the housing market as a first-time buyer. He added that he was worried about the effect that HMOs would have on the affordability of homes, as they could price young families out of some areas.
WNC has commissioned an independent assessment to better understand its current stock of HMOs and forecast the future need in the region up to 2043.
It added that it was exploring several ideas to improve the approach to HMOs in Northampton, including refining planning rules, reviewing property standards and collaborating better with landlords, tenants and the wider community.
One person, who did not want to be named, raised doubts with the consultation process, saying: “I don’t think the review will do much- they’re just explaining that you’re going to get stuck with them.”
Cllr Charlie Hastie, WNC Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “My view is that well-run HMOs can provide a very useful part of the housing sector, if we are rooting out the bad and encouraging the good.
“Unlicensed and illegal HMOs have no place in WNC or society in general. I really would encourage people to read the local plan proposals and share their views.”