Residents in Darlington have launched a petition calling for immediate action to stop the ‘unchecked transformation’ of their neighbourhood, as more and more homes are converted into HMO properties within the town.

It is usually councils that drive HMO restrictions, but in a growing trend, the Greenbank Road campaign is being backed by residents demanding action after accusing the local Council of losing “control of the HMO situation”.

Loophole

Under the current local regulations, planning permission is only required for HMOs that are home to more than five people, made up of two or more households, meaning smaller conversions can be undertaken without council permission – a loophole the campaigners say is being regularly exploited.

In their petition, the residents are calling for stricter measures to prevent further HMO development, including an Article 4 Direction, arguing that the council: “Cannot make reasonable planning decisions by assessing the impact of new, large HMOs on our local streets if they don’t know the scale of the local problem.”

A concentration of unregulated HMOs can cause issues for neighbouring residents.”

Darlington currently has around 400 licensed HMOs across the borough, with the Greenbank Road area experiencing particular pressure from conversions that target students and young professionals.

A spokesman for Darlington Borough Council acknowledged that HMOs provide: “A valuable contribution to housing provision for people who could not access the housing market through home ownership or rental”, but recognised that “a concentration of unregulated HMOs can cause issues for neighbouring residents.”

And says the authority has been “working hard to look into measures, such as an Article 4 direction, that can be introduced at the earliest opportunity to help control those smaller HMOs.”