Please help us in reducing the amount of HMO’s currently agreed through PDR , to be located  in Biggin Hill.

There has been a recent spate of a rental company buying properties in Biggin hill , in most cases multiple houses on the same streets and then converting these into HMO’s

The company are purchasing properties and setting up HMO’s where there is currently limited public transport links if any , VERY  limited parking for existing residents and where the addition of multiple HMO’s in a street will add extreme pressure to parking facilities making access for emergency vehicles impossible, making the population of the located street 10% HMO properties & Adding extra strain on already stretched Doctors and dentists. 

 Whilst we can’t stop landlords buying property we can request that these applications for HMO’s are reviewed by the immediate addition of an ARTICLE 4 direction for  post code Tn16 thus  removing HMO application from the PDR process. This will ensure the applications are reviewed through the planning department, a consultation takes place  and where residents are consulted with before being granted .

As the process currently stands  no planning permission is  required for a HMOs  they are being set up in locations unsuitable and at the detriment to local residents who now face having multiple HMO’S on their doorstep .

One company dealing with managing the HMO’s states the following: 

care leavers, the homeless, 
vulnerable families and those with mental health and/or addiction issues will be housed 

We are concerned that some of the above list may require access to specialist services that are not easily accessible from Biggin hill and this will be detrimental to them.

We would also request Bromley borough introduces a  local planning policy, which will resist the development of high concentrations of HMOs. - many councils have and many of them say there shouldn't be more than (say) 10% HMOs in any defined area (eg the local street).

thank you