Residents to protest HMOs as councillors call for tighter restrictions
Residents in Shaw, Oldham, are planning a peaceful protest against the increasing number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in their town, citing concerns over infrastructure strain and community deterioration. Local councillors are calling for tighter restrictions on HMOs, including mandatory planning permission for all such properties, and will vote on a motion to request government support for policy reform.
Shaw residents gathered outside the town’s lifelong learning centre Sunday to protest what they call an “endless influx” of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) overwhelming their community.
The peaceful demonstration was sparked by a fresh application to convert the former Crompton Health Centre into a 22-bed HMO, which locals say represents just “the tip of the iceberg” of developments changing the face of their town.
“HMOs are flooding into our town and we’re not getting any investment. We can already see how the town has deteriorated,” local activist Beverley McManus told protesters. “We just haven’t got the infrastructure. We haven’t got the roads, the doctors and dentists are already full.”
The protest comes as Oldham councillors revealed the number of HMOs across the borough has nearly doubled in five years, creating what they describe as “overcrowding and pressures on local services.” Councillors Elaine Taylor and Peter Davis have tabled a motion for Wednesday’s full council meeting requesting government intervention to require planning permission for all HMOs, not just those housing six or more people.
“Shaw isn’t unique,” said Councillor Marc Hince, who chairs Oldham’s planning committee. “The biggest issue I’ve found with HMOs is the lack of consultation and engagement. It’s always a balance between what a community wants and meeting housing needs. But HMOs are not the solution to the housing crisis - they’re a symptom of it.”
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