'We shouldn’t be importing more deprivation' - Fears over rise in number of HMOs in Horden and Blackhall

Concerned residents in the East Durham Communities Standing Together group are calling for great controls to manage the number of homes converted into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

Durham County Council was earlier this year warned that some of the county’s most deprived areas were being targeted by private landlords.

A recent petition, signed by 153 people, asked the council to adopt a policy that informs all residents and the wider community of potential new applications for HMOs in the East Durham area.

However, the local authority said it won’t apply the measures in East Durham due to the “low proportion of HMOs” and that there is no evidence they are causing issues.

Dr Brian Brown, chair of the community group, said: “The attraction is clearly the price of housing.

“If you go to Blackhall or Horden there are streets of empty houses. There’s real concern among residents.

“One of the most compelling arguments against HMOs is that East Durham has ticked every metric against the index of deprivation, and still does.

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“We shouldn’t be importing more deprivation, all it does is work to the detriment of the area.”

Mr Brown was joined by Matt Tough and other campaigners outside Durham County before a full council meeting to raise awareness of their campaign. They are urging the local authority to introduce measures in the area, known as Article Four Direction, to manage the number of HMOs.

Mr Tough said: “People are worried about houses being unnaturally converted.”

Landlords or agents must apply for planning permission to convert homes into HMOs for more than six people.

Councillor James Rowlandson, cabinet member for resources, investment and assets, said the local authority could apply to the Government for greater powers if there is evidence of HMOs impacting a community.

Yet he added: “There is a very low proportion of HMOs in East Durham and there is no evidence that they are causing issues.”

The issue is expected to be further discussed at a meeting of the council later this year.