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Irlam and Cadishead Say No to Migrant HMOs

We, the undersigned residents of Irlam and Cadishead, call on Salford City Council to take urgent action regarding the increasing conversion of residential properties into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) being used for asylum and migrant accommodation.
Our community is not opposed to supporting those in genuine need. We are opposed to significant changes to our neighbourhoods being made without proper planning oversight, consultation, or assessment of impact.
Our Concerns:
1.  Lack of Planning Control: Under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, the change of use from a dwellinghouse (C3) to a small HMO (C4) is normally permitted development. An Article 4 Direction removes this right and requires a full planning application. Salford City Council has applied this protection to most of the city, but Cadishead & Lower Irlam and Higher Irlam & Peel Green remain exempt. Our community is therefore disproportionately vulnerable to concentrated HMO conversions.
2.  No Consultation or Impact Assessment: Residents have not been properly consulted. There has been no transparent assessment of the cumulative impact on local GP services, school places, parking, waste collection, housing availability for local families, and community cohesion.
3.  Safeguarding, Licensing and Oversight: All HMOs with 3 or more occupants forming 2 or more households require a licence from Salford City Council - a Mandatory Licence for 5+ occupants and an Additional Licence for 3-4 occupants. We are asking the Council to publish how many licences have been issued in Irlam and Cadishead, to proactively enforce licensing standards, and to ensure appropriate safeguarding and management plans are in place.
4.  Transparency of Public Funds: Local taxpayers have a right to transparency regarding how public money is being used, including Home Office contracts and any funding via the Council or its partners to procure, lease, or manage HMO accommodation.
What We Are Calling For:
We call on Salford City Council to:
a) Extend the Article 4 Direction to Irlam and Cadishead - To immediately consult on and introduce an Article 4 Direction covering the wards of Cadishead and Lower Irlam and Higher Irlam and Peel Green, bringing us in line with the rest of Salford, so that any future C3 to C4 conversion requires full planning permission and public consultation.
b) Pause Further Conversions Pending Review - Halt any new arrangements for HMO use for contracted asylum/migrant accommodation until a cumulative impact assessment and proper community consultation has taken place.
c) Publish Data and Enforce Standards - Publish a register of HMO-licensed properties in Irlam and Cadishead, details of enforcement action taken, and assurances on management, anti-social behaviour controls, and community safety.
d) Prioritise Community Balance and Local Need - Ensure planning policy H1 and the Council's own HMO evidence base regarding concentration and community balance is applied fairly to Irlam and Cadishead.
This is a request for fair, lawful, and transparent planning process. Residents of Irlam and Cadishead deserve the same planning protections, consultation rights, and accountability as residents elsewhere in Salford.
Sign this petition if you support extending Article 4 protection to Irlam and Cadishead and demanding a proper voice for our community.