Haringey HMO Matters

HMO is rejected in my area. Can I still get one?

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“Why are HMOs rejected in my area? Can I still get one?

Generally, many types of minor development, such as a change of use from a
single dwelling house (use class C3) to a small HMO shared by 3 to 6 unrelated
residents (use class C4), do not require planning permission. That’s what we call a
Permitted Development Right.

However, if the local planning authority of an area believes, with strong evidence,
that this right is detrimental to the proper planning of the area, they can withdraw
this right by making an Article 4 direction. This could be permanent, but it also
could be canceled if the reasons why it was made are no longer valid. Also, it
doesn’t apply retrospectively.

This, though, doesn’t mean you cannot get an HMO in an area of an Article 4; It
means that it’s no longer a permitted development right and it will require planning
permission, which is, in most cases, not easy.

At SAM Planning, we do the uneasy. Here is a case of a property that falls within an area where an Article 4 is in place in Haringey. For this property, we’ve achieved planning permission for the conversion and change of use of the existing 2* 3-bedroom flats (C3 use) on the first and loft floors of the property, to one large-scale 8-bedroom HMO (sui-generis).

Feel free to contact us for an HMO application or for free advice about your case.

Application Approved Plans

First Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Contact us for an HMO application

The Different Types of Loft Extension You Can Build:

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What different loft extension can I build? 

There are so many options dependant on the house itself and the borough you reside in, questions of this nature are always best discussed over the phone as there are quite a few variables to consider, having said that I will try and briefly outline some of the most common options, and try not to run out of space on the page in the process

LDC rear loft 

The easiest one, is a rear loft under PD. For a terrace house you can build 40 cubic meters or 50 cubic meters on detached or semi-detached house under Permitted development (please see in the illustrations below, how the cubic meters are calculated) Please note if you have already built a loft under full planning or any roof addition this will be deducted from the cubic meters, also if your house is in a conservation area you will not benefit from the PD rights. The loft can be on the main house or even on the outrigger (an outrigger is the L – shape of the house, as the illustration below). The loft needs to be set back 20cm from the eaves (where it’s practical to do so, by the party walls it will not need to be set back), and not higher than the highest part of the house (the ridge) and as discussed previously, permitted development only applies to single dwellings or even small HMO’s.

LDC lofts under the new Class AA

 A single dwelling house that was built after 1st July 1948 until 28th October 2018, can benefit from the new PD rights to build up another story if it’s terraced or the original house is only one story, or 2 stories above if the existing is more than one story and it’s a detached house.

LDC lofts under the new Class AC

A single dwelling house that was built after 1st July 1948 until 28th October 2018, can benefit from the new PD right to build up another story to be used as flats.

Loft under full planning

A loft under full planning depends on the borough where you live, some will allow only a small rear loft, some will allow even a front loft. Here are examples of three boroughs:

 

  • Hackney – In the SPD clearly states that a loft should be suborned to the house, meaning that it can’t be the full width and it needs to come in from all sides, however on a street where the character is to have full lofts or even front lofts they will allow it (like in Moundfield Road or Leabourne Rd).
  • South Tottenham, Haringey – Has mainly 3 types of lofts allowed:
  • Type 1 – A Full rear loft from side to side
  • Type 2 – Another full story
  • Type 3 – Another full story plus the pitch (It’s like stretching the whole existing house another floor).
  • Lewisham – Will allow you to have a small front dormers as well