Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) - Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) - Consultation

 

To Whom it may concern,

We’re inviting residents, landlords, and relevant stakeholders to take part in the consultation for our Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO), Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

The consultation will run from 30 March at 9am to 29 April at 5pm, and we invite your input.

Background:

HMOs play an important role in providing a comparatively cheaper form of accommodation for a wide range of residents, including young people, and key workers. However, concerns have been raised about the impact they can have on local communities. This SPD aims to:

•             ensure that HMOs are brought forward without compromising the established character of an area;

•             minimise potential adverse effects on neighbouring properties;

•             provide suitable living conditions for future occupiers; and

•             provide guidance to assist with the assessment of HMO planning applications, making it clear how it can be shown that Local

Plan policies will be complied with.

How the proposed SPD may affect you

The SPD aims to summarise the relevant legislation to help all stakeholders navigate the relationship between HMOs, the planning system and other controls. 

• For persons seeking planning permission for a HMO, the SPD should provide clearer guidelines on HMO planning applications, will help you understand requirements, avoid potential refusals, and support responsible property management;

 

• For existing local residents, the SPD aims to ensure new developments sit well within the local context. This includes addressing concerns about parking, waste storage and management, and the character of an area;

 

• For future HMO residents, the SPD aims to improve living conditions in HMOs by promoting better housing standards within smaller HMOs to ensure that they are of the same standard as larger HMOs that are already controlled by other legislation; and

 

• For all stakeholders, your input will help shape the SPD to balance HMO demand with local communities’ needs, ensuring that Swale remains a great place to live for everyone.

 

How to get involved

We’d really appreciate a few minutes of your time to complete our questionnaire. Your responses will help inform the final version of the document.

You can submit comments online: https://swale-consult.objective.co.uk/kse/

Comments can also be emailed to HMOSPD@swale.gov.uk or posted to:

Swale Borough Council

Swale House

East Street

Sittingbourne

Kent

ME10 3HT

All responses must be received by 5pm on 29 April 2026.

All comments made on the HMO SPD will be processed by our team and will be made available for public inspection (after the consultation closes), together with your name and post town. For details on how your information is handled, please see our privacy notice.

What happens next

The comments received will inform the future consideration of the SPD and, subsequently, will guide the way that planning applications for HMOs are assessed within the Swale Borough. 

As a result, we will review and analyse all feedback received, make necessary changes to the document based on public and stakeholder input and present a final version for adoption by the Council later this year.

Once adopted, the SPD will be used to determine future HMO planning applications.

Further information

More information can be found on our Local Plan webpage.

Thank you for your time and participation.

Kind regards,

 

Planning Services