New policy ruled out due to ‘small number’ of Houses in Multiple Occupation in Antrim and Newtownabbey
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee has ruled out introducing a new policy for HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation).
A report presented to last month’s Planning Committee meeting said that there were 18 HMOs identified within the borough, 15 of which held an existing licence, three of which had planning approval with a further two HMO planning applications under consideration by the local government authority.
The report noted that 12 of the 15 licensed HMOs were located at the Abbeyville Street area of Whiteabbey.
It was stated that there are four local authorities in Northern Ireland with more than 50 HMOs, including Belfast City Council, 3,019; Derry City and Strabane District Council, 224; Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, 215, and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, 57.
All new HMOs require both planning permission and building control approval. Under The Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, planning permission must have been sought. All HMOs must have also been licensed by their local council unless a temporary exemption was in effect, the local government authority committee report noted.
A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is defined in the HMO Act (Northern Ireland) 2016) as a building or part of a building that has living accommodation occupied by three or more persons as their only or main residence; residents were from more than two households and rents were payable by at least one of the people living in the accommodation.
Members were advised that for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to bring forward a bespoke HMO planning policy, it would either have to bring forward a plan strategy amendment or seek a policy position in the Draft Local Policies Plan process. An evidential context to support the policy would also be required and would be subject to independent examination.
Minutes of the borough council’s Planning Committee meeting stated that it was the view of officers the current level of HMOs in the borough may not be substantial enough to “defend a plan policy option”.
“Given the small number of HMOs within the borough, officers considered that HMO policy was not required through the planning process to limit their over concentration as there was currently no pattern of over concentration in any area,” minutes said.
“This approach was consistent with that taken by other local councils which had comparable numbers of HMOs,” it was also noted.
It was proposed by Threemilewater DUP Councillor Sam Flanagan and seconded by Threemilewater Alliance Alderman Tom Campbell that given the “low number of Houses of Multiple Occupancy that exists within the borough, their dispersed nature and the lengthy procedure and required evidence base to bring forward a policy through the plan system, a bespoke HMO planning policy will not be brought forward at this time and the situation will be monitored through both planning and environmental health departments”.
The proposal was approved following a vote in which ten members were in favour with one against and one abstention.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter