Next Wednesday the Council’s Cabinet will decide on two new policies which will affect the future character of Oldfield Park.
Over the past decade, local residents have been concerned about the significant increase in investors buying family homes and turning them in to Homes in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
This has meant that many local people have been excluded from finding a home in the area – either to buy or to rent. The Cabinet will decide whether to introduce a Planning Policy (Article 4 direction) to limit the number of HMOs in any given area to 25% of the houses. In practical terms this will mean that no further properties can be converted to HMOs in most of Oldfield Park, however all those currently in use as a HMO can remain as such.
There are good investors and there are bad investors. Generally, bad investors do not care for the people and community from which they profit. The second new policy is to tackle the bad investor, so a new licensing scheme for HMOs is proposed which will improve the safety and accommodation standards for people living in HMOs.
The policy will also set minimum standards for the external upkeep and management of the properties – particularly for garden conditions and waste management.
The papers for the Council’s Cabinet meeting can be found here (Items 12 & 13): http://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=122&MId=3648&Ver=4
Will Sandry
Licencing is good news for everyone and I do hope this is introduced. Raises standards for tenants in HMOs. Improves the external appearance of HMOs which is good for all residents.
However, Article 4 Restrictions are not good for residents in Oldfield Park, Westmoreland and Widcombe who live on streets with an already very high concentration. They need to be aware that the Article 4 Restrictions will not change anything for them, other than to have a negative affect the value of their homes. The landlords of the HMOs will be able to sell them on as HMOs whenever they please, however owner-occupiers who want to sell their homes will only be able to so on the understanding that that house can never be converted to a rental property, by the buyer or any subsequent buyer. Therefore Landlords’ investments are protected, residents’ are not. Article 4 is not the panacea that it has spun to be. It maintains the status quo and impacts owner occupiers negatively. Please read the representations of the Wainwrights, on of the only 12% owner-occupiers left in Lorne Rd. They’ve lived in Lorne Road for decades and now fear they won’t be able to use the value of their home to fund their retirement. I won’t bore you all with my own family’s story. Will is well aware of it.