New measures could be introduced to limit the growing number of Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) in Salford.
Salford City Council has raised concerns over the increasing concentrations of HMOs in its neighbourhoods, as they add extra “pressure to local services”.
HMOs, which often consist of shared houses or flats, lived in by more than one household with shared facilities, have proliferated in Salford in recent years.
Council data indicates that from 2017 to 2023, the city saw 1,254 new HMOs established.
The area of Orsdall was particularly affected, with the number of HMOs soaring from three in 2017 to 437 in 2023.
Mayor Paul Dennett attributed this surge to a “chronic under supply of council housing” and the homelessness crisis, which has increasingly affected the city.
A recent council report highlighted the negative impacts of converting larger, family-type homes into HMOs.
The report noted that these conversions are “impacting social cohesion” and adding “pressure to local services.”
The council report also detailed the broader impacts of HMOs, stating: “They can involve a more intense use of dwellings that may increase noise pollution or car parking demands, they can increase pressures, on local services, and they can impact on social cohesion given that they often have a higher turnover of residents and thereby may contribute to a more transient neighbourhood population.”
To address these issues, the council’s new HMO planning document states that permission to expand or set up new HMOs “will not normally be granted” if the number of HMOs exceeds 10 per cent of all residential properties within a 100-metre radius of the planning application.
Councillor Gina Reynolds pointed out that some HMOs have operated “under the radar” for years, suggesting the actual number of such properties might be higher than reported.
The new approach aims to balance the need for affordable housing with the preservation of the community integrity and the effective functioning of local services.
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