Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) pose significant challenges to community cohesion and the sustainability of local infrastructure.
In and around Leigh town centre alone, there are over 30. Last week, I launched a campaign urging this problem to be addressed. I’m currently working with the council to look at what steps can be taken to protect the long-term interests of residents and ensure that the availability of family housing is not diminished.
A high-density of shared housing severely impacts the quality of life for long-term residents. Poorly managed HMOs lead to overcrowding, increased noise levels, and waste management challenges. The lack of adequate parking and strain on public services and amenities only exacerbates the situation further.
Furthermore, the nature of HMO occupants can undermine the sense of community and leads to increased instances of anti-social behaviour.
People living in HMOs often need to contend with overcrowding, limited privacy, and sharing facilities with strangers and more needs to be done to hold landlords and lettings agents to account. That is not to say that all HMOs pose that problem. There are good examples where HMOs work.
There is a growing need for more affordable homes in our communities, as many residents are struggling to find suitable accommodation within their means. The lack of affordable housing options has contributed to increased homelessness and housing insecurity, particularly among low-income families and vulnerable individuals.
Expanding the availability of social housing, including self-contained one-bedroom flats would provide much-needed support to those in need, promote social stability, and ensure that everyone has access to safe and secure living conditions.
It is essential that we take proactive steps to address the housing crisis in our area if we are to preserve the character of out towns and ensure a balanced, community-focused approach to housing.
I welcome developments such as the one proposed by a local firm on the former gas works site in Atherton, which would see 35 new build properties offered at 100% social housing.
We need more two- and three-bedroom homes to be made available at affordable rents, and that can only be done by looking to ensure that we retain our existing family home stock and build the houses we need.
There are 12,000 people on Wigan Council’s housing waiting list, and there is scope for sites like this to be developed elsewhere in the constituency, without having to be reliant on developments on green belt sites.
The communities of Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley, Lowton and Golborne have a voice in shaping the future of their neighbourhoods and I would encourage residents and businesses to have their say in the public consultation of the Initial Draft of the Wigan Borough Local Plan (which closes on 24th June).
The consultation gives people the opportunity to feed into the council’s policies on regeneration, including around housing and the allocation of land to meet future housing needs.
Please do have your say: https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Council/Consultations/Future-plan/Planning-for-the-Future-to-2040.aspx
If you are a constituent in need of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at jo.platt.mp@parliament.uk
Note: This article was originally published on the Wigan Today website, on Tuesday 17 June, 2025.