Petition to Address the Proliferation of HMOs in Churchfields Road and Wednesbury

Help us to force immediate change at Sandwell MBC so you can prevent this happening in your community and we can have ours back to how it used to be.

We are writing this petition out of deep concern for our neighbourhood in Churchfields Road, Wednesbury, and for the wider Wednesbury community, where we are witnessing an alarming rise in the number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), both legal and illegal.

The increase in these properties is not simply a matter of appearance; it has become a serious issue that is having a significant negative impact on our community. In Churchfields Road alone, two adjacent houses providing eleven bedrooms have been developed in a manner that appears designed to circumvent licensing regulations. By presenting these properties as two separate smaller units rather than one larger development, necessary oversight has been avoided. Residents are increasingly concerned that retrospective planning approvals and inadequate enforcement are encouraging further developments of this kind.

Many local residents feel that family homes, which were originally intended to house local families, are being lost. At a time when housing costs continue to rise and there is a shortage of suitable family housing stock, these properties could instead be providing much-needed homes for local families who are struggling to access affordable accommodation and remain within the area they call home.

The impact on the community has been substantial. Residents have reported increased antisocial behaviour, including incidents involving drugs, drug deals, exploitation, violence, noise disturbances and frequent police attendance. Including armed response. The properties are situated directly opposite a local primary school, local park and overlook both the school grounds and neighbouring residential properties, raising additional concerns about safeguarding, privacy and community wellbeing.

Residents change rapidly, you never know who is there and some have been quite awful.  Threatening neighbours wellbeing in some cases.

There have also been several reported breaches of planning conditions, with Sandwell constantly awarding retrospective approval, and blaming government guidelines for their decisions. This is leaving residents frustrated and feeling that their concerns are not being adequately addressed. What was once a quiet and settled neighbourhood has become increasingly unpredictable and stressful for those who live there.

We are also concerned that valuable taxpayer-funded resources are being used to advise property owners, landlords and developers on how to make developments compliant after concerns have been raised, rather than prioritising enforcement action and protecting established residential communities. Residents believe public funds should be focused on supporting local communities, enforcing planning and licensing regulations, and preventing developments that have a detrimental impact on neighbourhoods. It’s not fair in the community or the vulnerable tenants who need proper care and not just for the income they can provide the agents and owners with. Most of these state you have to be on highest benefits and pip.

Take a look on “openrent” website.

Many residents now believe that enough is enough. Communities should not be expected to continually absorb further HMO developments where there is already a significant concentration of such properties and where there is clear evidence of negative impacts on residents, local services, community cohesion and public safety. We therefore call for an immediate halt to the approval of these and any other HMOs in Churchfields Road and other heavily affected residential areas of Wednesbury and a full review of their cumulative impact needs to be  been undertaken.

We urge Sandwell Council to take immediate action by:

Reviewing how planning permission is granted for HMOs and similar developments.
Strengthening enforcement against breaches of planning and licensing regulations.
Closing loopholes that allow developers to avoid HMO licensing requirements.
Increasing inspections and monitoring of existing HMOs.
Prioritising family housing and protecting established residential communities.
Ensuring local residents are fully consulted before developments are approved.
Establishing a dedicated task force to investigate non-compliant HMOs and tackle associated antisocial behaviour.
Improving collaboration between the Council, police and local residents to restore safety and confidence within our communities.
Introducing policies that prevent further HMO expansion in areas where local residents are already experiencing significant adverse impacts.
We ask Sandwell Council to listen to the concerns of local residents and take decisive action to protect Churchfields Road and the wider Wednesbury area.

We ask that these are closed down and vulnerable adults in there relocated. The agents and owners taken to task and prevented from continuing to run these kind of establishments in our communities. 

Please lend your support to protect our community. Sign this petition to hold local authorities accountable and help bring about the change and immediate cease of these developments big or small that Churchfields Road and Wednesbury desperately need.

Our children and elderly should not have to live in fear. 
After-all Sandwell Council, Sandwell’s Vision 2030 aims to build a thriving and resilient borough where residents feel safe, cared for, and proud of their neighborhoods. To achieve a safe communities priority, the strategy focuses on reducing crime, preventing anti-social behaviour, and tackling deep-rooted issues by empowering local partnerships and supporting vulnerable people. 
Let’s make them do it!  Let’s speak up and protect our communities.