On 27 February a motion was put to Council which requested a review of the operation of the Article 4 Direction for between 3-6 residents. The motion related to the concerns of residents of St Peters Ward that the Article 4 direction powers are not properly applied and are not being used in the way other councils apply them which would result in a change in the character and nature of the area. The matter was referred to Cabinet for determination and report.
In February 2012 an Article 4 Direction made by Thanet District Council came into effect which removed the right, across the district, to change the use of any residential dwellinghouse to a house in multiple occupation (HMO), for between three and six unrelated people.
The effect of the Article 4 Direction is that planning permission is now required, from the Council, for such a change of use. Planning applications for planning permission are considered on their merits and in accordance with saved policy H11 of the Thanet Local Plan
Policy H11 sets out the criteria against which the Council will assess planning applications for HMOs which includes that consideration will be given to the concentration of such uses within an area. The planning committee had recently agreed an interim approach to interpreting policy H11 and will give special consideration to the impacts of that proposal on an area, where proposal would result in more than 10% of HMOs within a 100 metre radius.
Planning policy is currently under review as we prepare a new local Plan for Thanet.
Decision type: Non-key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Wards affected: (All Wards);