Article 4 Direction Consultation

Small HMO (use class C4)

A small HMO is a property occupied by between three and six unrelated individuals, as their only or main residence, who share basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom. Change of use to a small HMO does not currently require planning permission but will require licensing.

The Council has now confirmed a non-immediate Article 4 Direction that will come into force on the 3 March 2027. The purpose of this Article 4(1) Direction is to remove permitted development rights for the change of use from dwellinghouses (Use Class C3) to small Houses in Multiple Occupation (Use Class C4) within the designated area. This will enable Gloucester City Council to manage and control the concentration and impact of HMOs through the planning process by restoring the requirement for planning permission under Part III of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for such a change of use. The Direction applies to land within the administrative area of Gloucester City Council, namely the wards of Kingsholm and Wotton, Elmbridge, Westgate, Barton and Tredworth, Moreland and Kingsway.

A copy of the confirmed Direction decision and the map defining the area to which it relates may be viewed on the Council’s website and at the following address during normal office hours: Appointment Centre, Gloucester City Council, Eastgate Management Suite, Eastgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1PA.