New planning controls on shared houses in defined areas of Barwell and Earl Shilton will take effect from 14 August, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council has announced.

The controls, known as an Article 4 Direction, will require a planning application before a family home can be converted into a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) — a small shared house — in the specified areas. Existing lawful HMOs will not be affected by the new rules.

Why the controls were introduced

The move follows concerns raised by residents, councillors and local communities about the number of shared houses in parts of Barwell and Earl Shilton. Issues cited include parking pressure, rubbish, noise and disturbance, and pressure on local services.

Officers consulted on the Article 4 Direction after councillors gave delegated authority to consider action in other areas if concerns were raised. More than 200 responses were received from residents, landlords, business owners and other stakeholders during the consultation.

Around 83% of those who answered the question supported the proposal, around 10% opposed it, and the remainder were unsure. Supporters said they wanted more control over future HMOs and more say on parking, rubbish and noise issues.

Council statement

Stuart Bray, Leader of Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, said: "Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views in the consultation. Your voice is important to help us get this right."

Bray acknowledged concerns raised about asylum accommodation in the borough, stating: "It's important to remember the Borough Council does not run the asylum accommodation programme. The Article 4 Direction is about making sure new HMOs in the area are properly planned and managed. I'll be asking officers to continue keeping a close eye on this borough wide, and if we see similar pressures building up elsewhere, we'll look to extend this into further areas."

Previous action

A similar Article 4 Direction for part of Hinckley town centre came into effect in May.

The new controls for Barwell and Earl Shilton take effect from 14 August.