'People's quality of life is being hit by increasing trend in Greater Manchester town - they're so fed up, they're selling their homes'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Families are ‘putting their putting their homes up for sale’ as they feel that increasing numbers of 'houses of multiple occupation' are impacting their quality of life, councillors have heard.

Bolton council is to look into implementing tighter controls on house conversions after a motion put before the authority described ‘the growing negative sentiment around HMOs within dense residential areas’.

The town hall will now explore whether to look to introduce what is known as an article four directive, meaning that all HMO applications between three and six beds must apply for a change of use through the planning process and not solely for an HMO licence as is Bolton council’s current policy. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features The motion was proposed by Farnworth and Kearsley First member Coun Maureen Flitcroft.

She, said: “HMOs in Farnworth and Kearsley have become so prevalent in some areas that regular householders feel like they are the minority. “Many of these are in traditional terraced streets, where generations of families have lived, but are now putting their homes up for sale as they feel that their quality of life been impacted so much. “Council appreciates that there is sometimes a demand for HMOs for transient workers, students and residents needing short-term housing solutions, but acknowledges the growing negative sentiment locally around HMOs within dense residential areas. “In recent times, the planning committee has seen frequent applications for seven or eight bed HMOs. “When such an application has been refused, the applicant is quite often accepting of the fact that they can proceed with a six bed HMO in any case.” She added that councils