PETITION: Stop HMOs in Ashfield by invoking Article 4 of the GDPO

We, the undersigned, demand that Ashfield District Council follows the lead of Reform UK Councillors in Bassetlaw who introduced a motion for the introduction of Article 4 Directions as per Article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 (GDPO) , which gave Bassetlaw District Council powers to stop HMOs in the area.

We demand that Ashfield District Council follows suit and invokes Article 4 of the GPDO to stop HMOs in Ashfield.

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CONTEXT

Reform UK recently proposed a motion calling for the introduction of Article 4 Directions at Bassetlaw District Council. District Councillors decided unanimously to invoke Article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order 2015, which will give the council powers to stop Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) in the area.

Thanks to the efforts of the Reform UK councillors, the move by Bassetlaw District Council will remove the permitted development rights for dwellings to become HMOs housing 3 to 6 people in areas of Bassetlaw where there has been a growth in HMOs.

Ashfield District Council is yet to do the same, despite the significant rise in the number of HMOs in the district in recent years, and all the issues that they have brought to our communities in Ashfield.

Reform UK Councillors on Ashfield District Council have requested a Extraordinary Meeting and put forward a motion to introduce the same Article 4 Directions in Ashfield. With the influx of asylum seekers into Ashfield, the situation is urgent and must be discussed immediately. We cannot wait until the next Council meeting.

As the Labour Government scrambles to disperse asylum seekers into HMOs, Bassetlaw’s decision reflects the growing fears and concerns among the British public about the rapid, unregulated increase in HMOs.

Areas where HMOs are imposed on local communities often see a sharp rise in crime and anti-social behaviour. By making all HMOs go through the planning committee, important consultations can take place with residents on the proposed location of HMOs.

HMOs and their occupants, many of which are illegal migrants claiming to be asylum seekers, affect the people who live near them the most. It should be residents who get to decide who lives in their community to ensure that the places they call home are respected and kept safe.

The protection of residents must come before the interests of private contractors, weak national targets, and political agendas. The fact this motion passed unanimously in Labour-run Bassetlaw District Council shows this is not a political issue. It would be indefensible for Ashfield District Council to not show the same level of leadership as Bassetlaw District Council on this matter.