Runnymede Borough Council is to consider changes to planning regulations in an attempt to control the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
Presently in Runnymede, landlords do not need planning permission to convert a house into an HMO unless it is intended to house 7 or more tenants and this lack of control has exacerbated the problem in Egham and Englefield Green as more and more family homes have been converted into student-lets by landlords keen to cash in on Royal Holloway’s aspirations to expand its college across our community.
Runnymede Borough Council has now recognised the high concentration of HMOs in Egham and Englefield Green and has written a paper on the problem and the possibility of following other councils by using an Article 4 Direction to ensure that any future conversions would be subject to the planning process.
The report produced by the Planning Policy Team is to be discussed by the Planning Committee at their next meeting which is on Wednesday, 22nd March at the Civic Centre, Addlestone. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. and members of the public are welcome to attend.