Middlesborough Council has brought in new planning restrictions to clamp down on the “wrong sort of HMOs”.

The Article 4 direction means properties can no longer be converted into an HMO for up to six people without planning permission. Councillors voted to back the change following concerns over an increase in HMOs, the standard of accommodation sometimes offered, and the impact the properties can have on local areas.

Middlesbrough is the first local authority in the Tees Valley to bring in the rule. It covers the whole town except the area which is now governed by separate planning rules overseen by the Middlesbrough Development Corporation.

Positive

The town's elected mayor Chris Cooke (pictured) says it’s a real positive that the majority of Middlesbrough is now covered by this change.

“Obviously there is a need for single person accommodation, but we want to ensure people can live in affordable, good quality homes with appropriate space,” says Cooke.

“In the past we’ve been powerless to act when that hasn’t been the case. From now on landlords wishing to convert what were family homes into lots of single rooms will have to apply for planning permission and stand up to scrutiny.

"Too many of the wrong sort of HMOs can change the fabric of the area, and we need to uphold proper standards for the benefit of everyone.”

Last month, the council announced that it plans to expand selective licensing in an area of Newport for another five years and hike fees – a move which many landlords have vowed to oppose, either through the courts or by using legal loopholes to avoid paying.