Banbury street residents raise petition over Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

Queen’s Road householders are horrified that a small, three-bedroomed terraced house is being converted into a six-bedroomed House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) for supported or temporary accommodation use. See report here.

"At the very least, residents in Banbury need proper transparency, strong planning scrutiny, decent housing standards enforcement and reassurance that homes won’t just become overcrowded, poor-quality accommodation because it’s the most profitable option for developers,” said one neighbour.

They have a video tour by developer Dan Green describing the 41, Queens Road conversion to a nine-bedroomed HMO. However Mr Green told the Banbury Guardian his intention is to provide a six-bed HMO which is allowed by council rules.

The residents’ petition says: “We... call on Cherwell District Council (CDC), Sean Woodcock MP and local councillors to take urgent action to protect Queens Road and surrounding streets in Banbury from the unchecked conversion of small family homes into high-density HMOs, including where such properties may be used for supported or temporary accommodation.”

They describe the matter as a social justice issue. They fear such intensive shared accommodation may not deliver adequate spaces for vulnerable people.

“Our concern is not with the people who may live in these properties. Many residents of supported housing are among the most vulnerable members of our society, including young care leavers taking their first steps towards independence, refugees rebuilding their lives after displacement, women fleeing domestic abuse, people experiencing mental ill-health and others facing periods of crisis or instability.

“These individuals deserve safe, decent and well-managed homes that support their wellbeing and long-term prospects. Residents are concerned that, without proper scrutiny and regulation, the conversion of modest family homes into intensive shared accommodation may not always deliver the quality, space, support and stability vulnerable people need.

“The immediate concern is the redevelopment of 41 Queens Road. Residents are seeking clarity on the intended use of the property, expected occupancy level, safety arrangements, planning position, licensing requirements, management arrangements and whether the property may be used as supported, temporary or council-commissioned accommodation.”

The group says the shortage of accommodation is creating opportunities for developers and landlords to make significant profits converting ordinary homes into high-density shared accommodation and leasing them for local authority-funded housing.

"It is essential public money is used responsibly, that housing is genuinely suitable and vulnerable people are not placed in cramped, unsafe or poorly managed accommodation,” they say.

CDC cannot confirm yet whether the bedrooms offered here would be for single or double occupancy. However pictures of similar converted properties on the company’s social media pages show bedrooms with double beds.

"Queens Road isn’t just another residential street. It has a strong connection to Banbury’s housing reform history. Herbert Payne, who lived at 71 Queens Road, was the main campaigner behind Oxfordshire’s first council houses, built in Kings Road in 1913. He was pushing for better housing because of concerns about overcrowded and unaffordable living conditions for working people,” said one householder.

“It feels really relevant to what’s happening now. Over 100 years later, residents are worried about developers trying to profit from the housing crisis by turning family homes into overcrowded rental properties, without enough transparency or consideration for existing residents, future tenants or the character of the street.

“The choice is not between supporting vulnerable people and protecting communities. We should be doing both. The real question is how local authorities can ensure supported housing and HMOs are delivered in a way that is safe, appropriate, well-managed and genuinely in the public interest — rather than allowing family homes to be turned into profit-making shared housing with too little scrutiny, transparency or accountability.”

The group is asking those in power to

• Carefully review the proposed redevelopment of 41 Queens Road and confirm all relevant planning, building control, licensing, fire safety, safeguarding and housing standards requirements are being properly considered and enforced
• Provide residents with clear information about the intended use of the property, expected occupancy, management arrangements, licensing requirements and any relationship with council-commissioned, temporary or supported accommodation
• Review the cumulative impact of HMOs and intensive shared accommodation in the area, including the effect on family housing, parking, waste, noise, safety, community cohesion and local services
• Explore whether stronger planning controls… are justified based on evidence of cumulative impact
• Ensure vulnerable people are not placed in accommodation that is cramped, unsuitable, unsafe, poorly managed or lacking appropriate support
• Ensure private providers, developers or landlords benefiting financially from supported, temporary or council-funded housing are subject to proper scrutiny, quality standards, safeguarding requirements and value-for-money checks and
• Develop a clear, local supported housing strategy based on need, housing quality, safeguarding, value for money, transparency and community impact.

Almost everyone in Queens Road has signed the petition. Now the group is asking others in Banbury to support with their signatures. It can be found here.

The residents are meeting with CDC on Friday and with Sean Woodcock MP on Friday, June 12.

A CDC spokesman said: “The property is in the Banbury Conservation Area, however this does not prevent the application of national permitted development rights, including those which enable the conversion of a regular dwellinghouse to a small HMO. There is no Article 4 Direction in place which would restrict.

“The documents for planning application ref 26/01190/F will be published online once the application is validated. Validation will also trigger the commencement of the statutory consultation period, so residents will be able to see the proposals and make their submissions in the normal way.”

"HMO bedrooms are generally single occupancy. As part of the HMO licensing process officers will inspect the property and determine how many people the council will permit to live there.”

HMO standards are publicly available as a PDF document at https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/8196/hmo-standards-2018.pdf