Leigh and Atherton MP – Jo Platt – has welcomed today’s steps taken by Wigan Council’s Cabinet to vote in favour of moving forward with a borough-wide Article 4 Direction, to bring HMOs under control.
Jo Platt said: “I’ve been advocating for this measure for some time and would like to thank the many local councillors for their work in ensuring this went ahead.
“Parts of Leigh and Swinley have had an Article 4 direction in place since 2020, but today’s decision is an important move towards getting the balance right for the entirety of the Leigh and Atherton constituency and the wider borough.”
A borough-wide Article 4 Direction means that landlords will need planning permission to convert family homes into HMOs. This move will give local residents more of a say, to:
- Protect neighbourhoods
- Improve community cohesion
- Tackle overcrowding
- Improve housing standards
- Ease parking and pressures on local services
- Reduce anti-social behaviour and litter
Jo Platt added: “This isn’t about banning HMOs outright – it’s about engaging with local communities and ensuring that housing is well managed and meets the needs of residents.
“We need more two and three-bedroom homes to be made available at affordable rents, and that can only be done by ensuring that we retain our existing family home stock.
“There will shortly be a 21-day public consultation, and I would encourage as many residents as possible to have their say. I’ll be sure to share more information when it becomes available.”