Farnworth: HMO motion approved at Bolton Council meeting

The motion, proposed by Cllr Maureen Flitcroft of Farnworth and Kearsley First, calls for developers to have to apply for full planning permission before transforming traditional houses into multi-person “houses of multiple occupation".

As it stands developers only need planning permission when bidding to turn houses into HMOs with more than six bedrooms.

Cllr Flitcroft said: “We at Farnworth and Kearsley First Party are really pleased that our motion which we presented at the full council meeting was unanimously approved.

“Our motion now moves onto a policy development group (PDG), which will see councillors review planning policy as a whole, and we are hopeful that the Article 4 Direction will now be explored and introduced.

The motion was approved unanimously at Bolton Town Hall (Image: Newsquest)

“It may be that this is not boroughwide but at least cover areas that have a concentration of HMOs such as Farnworth and Kearsley.”

Recent controversial HMO applications in these areas have included a bid to transform a house on Lower Rawson Street, since rejected, and on Higher Market Street, also thrown out by the council.

Recent plans to convert the former Spread Eagle pub on Manchester Road, Kearsley have also sparked controversy.

The Article 4 direction, supported by Cllr Flitcroft and her colleagues, would mean that all new bids for HMOs with three to six bedrooms would have to apply for a change of use from the council’s planning department, rather than simply a HMO licence as the current policy states.

This is already the policy at Manchester and Salford councils.

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After being approved unanimously by all Bolton councillors, the motion will now be examined in more detail by a policy development group.

Cllr Flitcroft said: “The PDG will hopefully also look at council adopting the national minimum space standards as policy.

“This would ensure that the space which occupants live in will be acceptable and ensure a better quality of housing in all types of accommodation.

“Farnworth and Kearsley First councillors have worked very hard to support our residents on HMO applications and have seen the stress that the current council policy regarding HMOs causes.

“Things must be improved.”