Crackdown measures on multiple-occupant houses in Ipswich has seen seven possible breaches since new rules came into effect.

Ipswich Borough Council will discuss current enforcement action at a planning committee meeting next Wednesday, June 24.

Officers had anticipated the increase since the Article 4 direction came into effect on June 1 this year, with seven of the 30 additional cases relating to House of Multiple Occupants (HMOs). 

Article 4 means in parts of the town applicants wishing to convert a house into an HMO will need to seek planning permission, no matter the number of occupants.

Article 4 came in place on June 1.Article 4 came into place on June 1. (Image: Newsquest)

Through the process the council and neighbours will be consulted before the plans are approved or rejected. 

In a pre-meeting report, it states: "This increase in reporting was anticipated, but it is likely to reduce as more developers become aware of the new restrictions."

The seven reported properties will be investigated by the council to ensure they comply with their new requirements. 

If the conversion works were not completed and occupied before June 1, the owners will need to seek retrospective planning permission, or revert the properties to the original use.

Cllr Jones said she is pleased to have these restrictions in place.Cllr Jones said she is pleased to have these restrictions in place. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Portfolio holder for planning and museums Councillor Carole Jones had a major role to play in the enforcement of Article 4. 

She said: "Obviously this (Article 4) makes it harder for developers to create and rent out HMOs.

"So we think there was a bit of a rush by applicants to get small HMOs in place before they were hit by the Article 4 requirements on June 1.

"We’re really pleased to have this requirement in place. It’s better for potential residents, and it’s better for neighbourhoods. We only wish we could have Article 4 cover the whole of Ipswich, but national rules then meant we couldn’t."

The restrictions affect specific areas of the town.The restrictions affect specific areas of the town. (Image: Google Maps)

Article 4 has been applied to specific areas of the town, where HMOs have been noticed more often.

These include parts of Alexandra and Stoke Park and areas surrounding Norwich Road and Nacton Road.

 

In total 37 breaches of planning enforcement have occurred in the first quarter of the year. 

The town centre ward of Alexandra saw the highest number of these at nine, followed by neighbouring Gipping, which saw five.

Meanwhile, the wards of Castle Hill, Holywells, Rushmere and Whitton did not see any reports.