A big Midlands council has revealed plans to introduce an Article 4 direction across the borough while admitting that there is no strong link between HMOs and crime.
Walsall Council hopes to introduce tighter HMO planning regulations from next October following a consultation, but the authority’s report says while not specific to Walsall, “it is acknowledged that there have been concerns from the public for a number of years around the perceptions of crime and antisocial behaviour associated with HMOs.
However, the report evidences that while there are levels of crime reported within areas which have large concentrations of HMOs, "there is no established and credible link between the two.”
Walsall’s approach reflects residents’ perception of crime in deprived areas rather than detailing crime figures, as the report refers to high concentrations of HMOs in any one area, “having the potential to adversely impact on residential character and amenity, and also giving rise to a particular fear of crime and anti-social behaviour”.
Like many councils in the UK, the authority is torn between meeting demand for decent HMOs and responding to community concerns, as the report acknowledges: “HMOs can contribute towards meeting the housing needs of an area, particularly for people on low incomes, housing vulnerable individuals, students, and the growing number of one person households.”
Councillor Adrian Andrew, associate leader of Walsall Council, adds that HMOs play a role in ensuring housing provision across the borough. “Often poor management of HMOs can negatively impact the health of the immediate and neighbouring occupants,” says Andrew. “This can lead to an increase in fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour and waste accumulation. We think the additional planning controls will contribute towards removing these negative impacts.”
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