Issue - meetings

Article 4 Direction - Houses in Multiple Occupation

Meeting: 16/12/2025 - Cabinet (Item 6)

6 Article Four Direction - Houses of Multiple Occupation PDF 159 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Background:

This report presented the recommendations for the imposition of Article 4 Directions within seven Wards within Medway. These wards wereChatham Central and Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Luton, Strood North and Frindsbury and Watling.

The report was accompanied by an evidence base that had considered the existing level of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) within Medway, and the impacts that these had on the existing residents. The report showed that there was a clear correlation between the proliferation of HMOs and anti-social behaviour, as well as the poor standard of accommodation.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached at Appendix 5 to the report.

Decision number:	Decision:
179/2025	The Cabinet approved the making of seven immediate Article 4 Directions to be brought into effect immediately. This would remove permitted development rights for the change of use from Use Class C3 dwelling houses to Use Class C4 small houses in Multiple Occupation for the following Wards: i) Chatham Central and Brompton. ii) Fort Pitt. iii) Gillingham North. iv) Gillingham South. v) Luton. vi) Strood North and Frindsbury. vii) Watling.
180/2025	The Cabinet authorised the Assistant Director, Legal and Governance to issue the relevant Direction and Notices to support the Immediate Article 4 Directions.
	The Cabinet noted the content of the Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) Review and Evidence Paper, as appended to the report at Appendix 4, that had been prepared to support the proposed making of the Immediate Article 4 Directions.
181/2025	The Cabinet authorised the Director of Place to consider comments received to the Notice and to thereafter confirm the Immediate Article 4 Directions.

Reasons:

The Council is responsible for ensuring that all residents have a satisfactory standard of accommodation and for the delivery of all types of housing to be of a high quality, while protecting the residential amenities of an area and the existing residents within it, to ensure both existing and future residents’ needs are met.

There is sufficient evidence as set out in the appendices to this report, to suggest that the unregulated nature of HMOs within Medway within the relevant Wards is resulting in a poor standard of living, with subsequent and linked issues in terms of anti-social behaviour and detrimental impact on existing residential amenity.