Removal of permitted development rights for the change of use from Use Class C3 (dwelling-houses) to C4 (HMOs)
Further Article 4 Direction: September 2026
As part of a long term Burnley Council strategy to manage HMOs in the borough, which has included the adoption of the Houses in Multiple Occupation and Small Flats Supplementary Planning Document in 2022 and an Article 4 Direction coming into force in 9 wards within the borough in 2024, alongside additional controls in selective licensing areas, a report to its executive recommended removing what are known as permitted development rights which currently allow a single dwelling house to be changed into a small HMO without planning permission in the following wards:.
- Briecliffe;
- Cliviger with Worsthorne;
- Coalclough with Deerplay;
- Hapton with Park;
- Lanehead; and
- Whittlefield with Ightenhill
The proposals will be subject to six weeks of public consultation. Further details of this consultation will be publicised in the coming weeks. A further report will be taken to the executive in Spring 2027 to consider the comments received and decide whether to confirm the proposal.
If confirmed, the new arrangement is set to come into operation from September 2027 to allow for the legal process to be completed.
Original Article 4 Direction: October 2023
Following confirmation in April 2024 the Article 4 Direction came into effect on the 14th October 2024. The ‘non-immediate’ Article 4 Direction removes permitted development rights for the change of use from Use Class C3 (dwellinghouses) to C4 (Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO)) in the following wards within the borough.
- Bank Hall ward;
- Brunshaw ward;
- Daneshouse with Stoneyholme ward;
- Gannow ward;
- Gawthorpe ward;
- Queensgate ward;
- Rosehill with Burnley Wood ward;
- Rosegrove with Lowerhouse; and
- Trinity ward
In accordance with the requirements of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, the Council confirms that it ‘made’ the direction on the 13th October 2023 and undertook consultation on the proposed direction for 6 weeks between Friday 13th October and 5pm Friday 24th November 2023.
The Council considered the consultation comments received at the meeting of the Executive on the 4th April 2024.
Following Executive approval, the Article 4 direction was confirmed on the 19th June 2024
Viewing the Article 4
Full information, including the notice of confirmation of the direction, the direction itself and accompanying plan showing the proposed area covered by the direction and the Article 4 Background document can be found below.
In addition, copies of the information will be made available at the Council’s Contact Burnley Offices and Burnley and Padiham Libraries during their opening hours.
