Residents to protest HMOs as councillors call for tighter restrictions

Residents are gearing up for a peaceful protest following what they describe as a ‘deluge of HMOs’ in an Oldham town.

The ‘respectful gathering’, due to take place outside Shaw’s lifelong learning centre on Sunday (April 6), was sparked by an application to turn the former Crompton Health Centre into a 22-bed HMO. 

But local campaigners say the application is just ‘the tip of the iceberg’ of what is perceived as an ‘endless influx of HMOs’ in Shaw. 

Local activist Beverley McManus told the LDRS: “HMOs are flooding into our town and we’re not getting any investment. We can already see how the town has deteriorated. 

“We just haven’t got the infrastructure. We haven’t got the roads, the doctors and dentists are already full.”

Shaw residents say they have seen the loss of several local businesses and amenities in recent years, with fears they will be replaced by HMOs instead of ‘places that benefit the community such as youth centres or places for the elderly to meet’. 

Town planners can’t say exactly how many HMOs are in the town, as properties with less than six inhabitants currently don’t require planning permission.

But Oldham councillors believe the total number in the borough has ‘almost doubled’ in the last five years, leading to ‘overcrowding and pressures on local services’. 

Councillor Elaine Taylor, who leads on housing for the council, and coun Peter Davis are now calling on the government to tighten restrictions and require planning permission on all HMOs. 

They have invited fellow councillors to vote to request the support from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to reform the planning policy at a full council meeting on Wednesday, April 10.

A motion states the current rules ‘limit the ability of local authorities to manage their spread and ensure they are appropriately located and regulated’. 

Marc Hince, a Shaw councillor and chair of Oldham’s planning committee, expressed his support for the motion. 

“Shaw isn’t unique,” he said.

“The biggest issue I’ve found with HMOs is the lack of consultation and engagement.

"It’s always a balance between what a community wants and meeting housing needs.

"But HMOs are not the solution to the housing crisis – they’re a symptom of it.”

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