Following a campaign led by Conservative Councillor Karen Ingham, Burnley Borough Council is set to crackdown on the conversion of terraced houses into Houses with Multiple Occupants (HMOs) from October of this year.
Once fully implemented there'll be stricter rules about turning properties into shared houses in specific parts of the borough. This includes most of Padiham and Gannow, where the residents have raised concern.
The decision is set to be approved by Burnley Borough Council’s Executive after a consultation showed the majority agreed that action needs to be taken.
Commenting Councillor Karen Ingham said:
“HMOs may work for some. But community matters. And so, when you are seeing whole terraced streets being converted into bedsits, questions need to be asked.
I spoke with so many people who were rightly concerned at what’s been happening. That’s why I took the fight to the Council and I’m just glad that we persisted with it. Because we’ve got there in the end.
This is a proper victory for residents”
Rhys Williams, Conservative Candidate for Gannow said:
I’ve seen Karen and the whole Conservative team raise this in Full Council multiple times and it’s great that action is now being taken. It might have taken longer than we wanted but is why we need more people who will speak up for local residents to be on Burnley Borough Council.
Whilst this won’t completely end the use of HMOs, thankfully it will now give the Council a greater say on whether or not they can go ahead. And in my view that needs to be resident led instead of the Labour approach of turning a blind eye and thinking nobody will notice.”