Decision details

Amendments are proposed to the Supplementary Planning Document on Houses in Multiple Occupation in Bath.

The Cabinet Member agrees that:

• the amended draft Houses in Multiple Occupation in Bath: Supplementary Planning Document  for public consultation;
• that responsibility is delegated to the Divisional Director for Development, in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Development, to make final graphic and minor textual amendments prior to publication of the Draft Houses in Multiple Occupation in Bath Supplementary Planning Document;

The Cabinet Member notes:

• the Equalities Impact Assessment  and the draft Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report.

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 achieve the objective of the SPD, therefore it should be published for formal consultation.

Applying the threshold for the Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and setting the design criteria for PBSA were considered but not taken forward through the 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 with good understanding of the universities’ aspirations and requirements therefore it is better considered through the new Local Plan.