Proposals to better manage the impacts of Houses of Multiple Occupation will go out for public consultation alongside the Local Plan Partial Update later this summer.

The Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) proposes revisions to the tests Bath and North East Somerset uses to assess planning applications for new and intensified HMOs. HMOs are houses with three or more people from two or more families living together in a residence.

The document was revised following consultation with stakeholders including resident associations, estate agents, Bath Student Community Partnership and Bath Spa University, and has been approved as a single member decision

Councillor Tim Ball, Cabinet Member for Planning and Licensing, said: "The private rental housing market in Bath is complex, and there is a diverse demand for flexible housing. HMOs are occupied by a wide range of groups including young professionals, students, immigrants, asylum seekers, those on housing benefit and contract workers. They therefore have an important role to play in Bath's economy.

"HMOs have traditionally been more concentrated in certain areas of the city, particularly in the wards of Oldfield, Westmoreland and Widcombe. By changing how we assess planning applications for HMOs we aim to encourage a sustainable community in Bath and the wider district, supporting a wide variety of households in all areas."

The proposed changes in the Local Plan Partial Update will widen the scope of the current policy to include planning applications in Bath City for the change of use from residential (C3) to small HMO (C4) and applications district-wide for:

:change of use from C3 residential (C3) to large HMO of more than 6 people (sui generis)

:new build HMOs

:change of use to HMO from other uses, for example commercial

:the intensification of small HMOs (C4) to large HMOs (sui generis)

Through the SPD, applications will not be permitted where it would result in any residential property (C3) being 'sandwiched' between two HMOs, or where the application tips the concentration to 10% or more HMO properties within a 100m radius of the application property, or where there is already a concentration of 10% or more.

The HMO Supplementary Planning Document also includes additional guidance to support two policy updates proposed within the Local Plan Partial Update (Policy H2): a requirement for all new HMOs to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate rating of C or above and to provide a good standard of accommodation (in relation to room sizes, noise reduction measures etc.).

The SPD will go out for public consultation for six weeks from 27 August to 8 October, during which a particular effort will be made to engage with HMO occupiers and landlords/owners.

More information can be found HERE: the B&NES site