There was a poorly attended meeting of the North Southampton Community Forum on 17th March. Two new members were welcomed, the Mansbridge Residents Association which has been around a long time and the North East Bassett Residents Association which has only recently been formed to oppose a planning application.
A long standing concern of the Highfield Residents’ Association has been the buying of houses in roads near the University and then renting them to students. This growth of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) changes the character of a road. There has been similar concern in other towns with a large student population. The resulting pressure at a national level has produced a changed planning regulation† which came into force on 6th April. HMOs are now in a different “use class” from a house with one person or one family. Change of use requires planning permission. This of course has no effect on houses that are already HMOs. The practical consequences of the new rules will depend on how the local authority responds to applications for a change to an HMO and the results of appeals against refusal.
† S.I. 2010 No. 653