Our communities are being changed overnight by a surge in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Family homes are being carved up. Streets are overcrowded. Parking is impossible. Local services are stretched to breaking point.
This isn’t fair on residents who’ve built their lives here. We need proper rules, stronger enforcement, and development that works for our all our communities – not against it. Together, we can take back control of our streets and protect the character of Romford and Havering.
It’s time to stand up for our area.
How can this be solved?
Well back in 2016, the then Conservative-led Council introduced two Article4 Directions.
- Applied to the then Brooklands, Romford Town, Heaton and Gooshays Wards. It removed permitted development rights for all dwelling types in those areas – meaning that the change of C3 (Family Homes) into C4 (Small HMOs of 3-6 People) required planning permission.
- Covered the rest of Havering and removed permitted development rights to convert flats, terraced houses and semi-detached houses from C3 to C4 meaning change of use for those housing types required planning permission. However, detached houses remained exempt.
It is clear that whilst these measures play a part in blocking the boom. They do not go far enough.
And so we, the Romford Conservatives, are fighting for:
- A Havering-wide Article 4 that includes all housing types
- A more robust strategy to ensure compliance with local planning rules around HMOs.
At the Full Council meeting on 03rd September, Cllr. Nisha Patel presented a motion for Havering Council to strengthen current Article 4 directions to ensure there is a blanket requirement for planning permission. The motion was passed but an amended version. Read about it here.