Gloucester residents are becoming increasingly frustrated over the prolonged delay of a crucial survey intended to address the proliferation of bedsits within the city. The survey aims to provide irrefutable evidence to the Gloucester City Council regarding the prevalent issue of family homes being converted into houses in multiple occupation (HMO).
The prevalence of HMOs, defined as houses inhabited by a minimum of three tenants forming more than one household, with shared toilet, bathroom, or kitchen facilities, has become a widespread concern, particularly in the Kingsholm area. Civic leaders assert that numerous family homes in Kingsholm are undergoing conversion into HMOs without the requirement of planning permission, given the current permitted development regulations for six individuals or fewer. However, upon the completion of the survey, the City Council will be empowered to demand planning applications for converting such properties.
Councilor Jeremy Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton) vocalized his discontent during a session with council leaders on November 16, emphasizing the prolonged delays in the release of the housing stock survey. He urged council chiefs to acknowledge the frustrations of himself, his colleague Angela Conder, and the anxious residents of Kingsholm, who are eagerly awaiting the implementation of article four legislation to regulate the unwelcome spread of HMOs and the subsequent depletion of family accommodation.
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In response, Stephanie Chambers, the cabinet member for planning and housing strategy (C, Quedgeley Fieldcourt), acknowledged the regrettable delay in the publication of results from the private sector stock condition survey. She revealed that the survey findings are projected to be reported to the cabinet in March 2024, expressing empathy for the concerns raised. Chambers also emphasized the existence of policies in the local plan that are poised to benefit the entirety of the city and Kingsholm, acknowledging the prevailing pressures within the housing department and committing to an expedited release of the survey results if feasible.