Decision details

This report sees the adoption of the amended Supplementary Planning Document on Houses in Multiple Occupation in Bath.

RESOLVED (unanimously) the Cabinet agreed that:

1)  The Houses in Multiple Occupation in Bath: Supplementary Planning Document is adopted to supplement the Bath & North East Somerset Placemaking Plan, especially Policy H2;

2)  Responsibility is delegated to the Divisional Director for Development, in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Development and Neighbourhood, to make final graphic and minor textual amendments prior to adoption of the Houses in Multiple Occupation in Bath Supplementary Planning Document.

The SPD has been in operation for four years and is scheduled in the Local Development Scheme for review this year. The purpose of the HMO SPD is to avoid high concentrations of HMOs in any one part of the City in the interests of encouraging a balanced housing mix across the City.

The recommended revision to the SPD addresses concerns raised through the Review and is considered to be the most effective approach to continue to achieve the objective of the SPD.

Applying a threshold for Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and setting design criteria for PBSA were considered but not taken forward through this SPD review. The HMO SPD supplements the Placemaking Plan Policy H2 which provides the policy guidance on a change of use from Residential (use class C3) to HMOs. Therefore the SPD cannot expand the remit given by the parent policy.

It is also considered that PBSA requires more strategic planning informed by better understanding of the universities’ aspirations and requirements. Therefore it is more appropriately considered through the new Local Plan. Preparation of the new Local Plan has recently commenced.