A sealed city-wide Article 4 Direction is in force in Stoke-on-Trent, with consultation open until 20th November 2026.
Stoke HMO Article 4 controls now in force city-wide
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Housing & Change of Use News – Page 3
Recent housing and change-of-use news, including HMOs, Article 4 directions and decisions about residential use.
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Tonbridge HMO Article 4: immediate Direction approved
Cabinet has approved making an immediate HMO Article 4 Direction for mapped parts of Tonbridge, Snodland and East Malling, subject to call-in.
Welsh HMO licensing papers reveal live policy debate
Welsh Government HMO papers reveal live policy work on consultation and public participation while key legal advice remains privileged.
Wroxton Article 4 Direction advances after legal rethink
Cherwell has widened officer powers to revise the Wroxton motocross Article 4 Direction after legal objections to its proposed controls.
Redcar HMO Article 4 takes effect across Coatham
Coatham’s confirmed Article 4 Direction is now in force, bringing new C3-to-C4 HMO conversions under local planning control.
Liverpool HMO Article 4 plan targets whole city after sharp 57% rise
Liverpool Cabinet approved wider HMO controls on 13th October, but signed Directions and commencement dates have not yet been verified.
Argyll short-term let consultation extended after council corrects housing data
Argyll and Bute has extended its short-term let consultation after correcting housing data used in the consultation material.
Cambridge HMO Article 4 plans target city and adjoining fringe
Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire are preparing coordinated non-immediate HMO Article 4 proposals for the city and adjoining fringe areas.
St Helens Article 4: HMO consultation targets December start
The St Helens Article 4 consultation proposes borough-wide HMO controls from December, with questions over its unusually short notice period.
Highland short-term let controls approved by ministers
Scottish Ministers approve Inverness and rural Highland short-term let control areas, but formal designation and commencement notices are still outstanding.
Burnley HMO Article 4 made, six wards on course for controls
The six-ward Direction is now formally made, with consultation open until 6th November and a September 2027 start proposed.
Warrington HMO Article 4 spreads borough-wide with immediate extension
A second Direction now covers areas outside the Central Six, with consultation continuing while the new planning restriction is already in force.
£210m high-street package puts £125m into Derelict Buildings Fund
A £125m Derelict Buildings Fund leads a £210m package aimed at vacant premises, community assets, rental auctions and co-operatives.
Warrington HMO Article 4 takes effect across Central Six
The Warrington HMO Article 4 Direction now blocks automatic C3-to-C4 conversions across six central wards after its year-long lead-in ended.
Maidstone Article 4 targets seven office buildings for Class MA removal
A new non-immediate direction covers five Maidstone town-centre sites and seven buildings, with Class MA rights due to fall if it is confirmed.
Argyll and Bute short-term let control area consultation opens across pressured islands
The six-week consultation targets four housing market areas where up to 42% of homes are unavailable for permanent occupation.
Knowsley HMO conversions could face new planning controls
Knowsley’s Cabinet is due to consider removing C3 to C4 permitted development rights. The proposal remains at a pre-Direction stage, with its scope and detailed recommendations still to be published.
Stockport approves borough-wide HMO Article 4 Direction
Stockport Council has approved an immediate borough-wide HMO Article 4 Direction. The formal Direction and operative date had not yet been published when this story was revised on 16th September 2026.
Luton seeks evidence for possible HMO Article 4 Direction
Luton is seeking specialist evidence work to support a possible HMO Article 4 Direction. The official procurement does not make a Direction, set an operative date or remove the existing C3-to-C4 permitted development right.
North Tyneside HMO Article 4: 8 wards face new controls
North Tyneside has made a non-immediate Article 4 Direction for C3-to-C4 changes in eight wards. Consultation closes on 22nd October 2026, with commencement proposed for 6th August 2027 if confirmed. The Direction is not yet confirmed or in force.
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