Salford council bosses have moved to restrict the ‘proliferation’ of houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) in the city. The town hall’s cabinet has agreed to extend the areas of the borough where ‘permitted development rights’ – which allow residential homes to be converted into HMOs without planning consent – be removed. HMOs are typically where single and often young professional people live at a lower cost than traditionally rented accommodation. Wards to which this is being applied are Little Hulton, Swinton and Wardley, Walkden North, Walkden South, Worsley and Westwood Park. Additional areas of Barton and Winton, Pendlebury and Clifton and Swinton Park are also being included. But the whole of Boothstown and Ellenbrook and Cadishead and Lower Irlam and parts of Higher Irlam and Peel Green will be exempt from the restrictions. Cabinet member Coun Phil Cusack, who is also chair of the city’s planning and transportation regulator panel, said there had been ‘a lot of issues’ throughout the city with HMOs. “There’s no doubt whatsoever that the proliferation of HMOs can lead to a decline in communities,” he said. “But many of the HMOs are necessary, although we need to control them, and we need to make sure they don’t change the nature of the areas where they are.” Coun Jim Cammell, who represents Swinton Park which has the highest number of HMOs in Salford, said: “There is a requirement for HMOs, but residents want to be consulted. “Quite a few of these schemes are from various developers doing it for the money.” He said that more recently there have been terraced and three-bed semi-detached houses converted into HMOs for five people in small streets and cul-de-sacs. Coun Barbara Bentham added: “We’ve got developers offering cash for properties so they can convert them into HMOs. It’s just not appropriate. “But we have to accept that there is a need for low-cost accommodation. We are not going to completely ban HMOs.” Coun Bill Hinds said the ward he represents of Swinton and Wardley does not have a great number of HMOs, “but they are growing,” he said. “Developers and landlords ar eoffering far more [than the market value] for a semi-detached house. “They are taking advantage of homelessness within the city and that worries me. I do accept that there can be a need for them in many areas. “We’ve seen them for years, particularly in Claremont, Ellesmere Park and Broughton where there are big houses. “But I get really concerned when I see smaller terraced houses becoming HMOs, or a normal semi-detached being extended and turned into an HMO.”
