Policy H/MO: Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)

1. Proposals for HMOs that require planning permission (C4 or sui generis) will be supported, where: 

  a. the proposed HMO does not create an over-concentration of such a use in the local area or cause harm to residential amenity or the surrounding area; 

  b. would not result in an existing residential property (C3 use) being ‘sandwiched’ between two HMOs or result in three or more adjacent properties as HMOs; 

  c. the building or site (including any outbuildings) is suitable for use as a HMO, with provision made for appropriate refuse and recycling storage, cycle and car parking, and drying areas; and 

  d. the HMO has access to sustainable modes of transport, shops and other local services. 

2. Appropriate management arrangements should be put in place in order to monitor and minimise antisocial behaviour and adverse impact on local residents. A condition to this effect may be applied to any planning consent. 

3. All new HMOs that require planning permission (C4 or sui generis) must meet the internal space standards required for a HMO to be licensed, in addition to the internal and external residential space standards set out in Policy H/SS: Residential space standards and accessible homes. 

HMOs form an important part of the housing market in Cambridge. About half are occupied by students. However, the high cost of housing in Cambridge also makes HMOs a more affordable option than self-contained accommodation for other groups including young professionals and lower paid staff more generally. HMOs form a smaller, but still significant, part of the housing market in South Cambridgeshire and it is important that the policy operates across

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

as a whole. 

This policy applies to any HMOs that require planning permission, whether they fall within use class C4 or sui generis. A HMO is a property rented out by at least 3 unrelated people in 2 or more households who use the HMO as their main or only residence. They share basic facilities like the bathroom and kitchen. ‘Unrelated’ means that the occupants do not have a relationship by blood, marriage or cohabitation. 

Students, as well as migrants or asylum seekers, who do not occupy the property all year will be considered as occupying it as their main residence. Therefore, this will fall within Use Class C4 (if there are no more than 6 occupants) or Sui Generis (usually if there are more than 6 occupants). 

A continuous frontage of two or more HMOs immediately adjacent to each other is considered to be an over-concentration of HMOs. Further work will take place to consider possible refinements to the definition of over-concentration within

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

and the potential of providing guidance within a Supplementary Planning Document will be explored. 

The Councils are considering introducing an Article 4 Direction to require planning permission for a change of use between residential (use class C3) and a HMO (use class C4) in particular locations. The policy has been drafted so that it will apply to all HMOs that require planning permission, and therefore to smaller HMOs if an Article 4 Direction is enacted. The Councils are also considering the impacts of increasing numbers of HMOs on the housing mix within

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

, and in particular the current and future supply of family homes. 

HMOs are required to meet the internal and external residential space standards set out in Policy H/SS: Residential space standards and accessible homes, which apply to all dwellings including HMOs. The internal residential spaces standards set out in Policy H/SS specify the overall floorspace for a dwelling (including HMOs) based on its number of bedrooms and the number of occupants, as well as specific floorspace for bedrooms. 

All HMOs with 5 or more people (whether use class C4 or sui generis) must also be licensed. This licensing process operates outside of the planning system and includes a range of minimum room size standards related to bedrooms and communal areas such as kitchens. There are currently different licensing standards within Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. Cambridge City Council’s Private Rented Sector Housing Standard sets out the licensing standards applicable in Cambridge. The licensing standards for South Cambridgeshire are set out in South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Guidance for Amenity Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation. 

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

  : Homes Topic Paper (2025)

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  Housing Strategy 2024-2029: Homes for Our Future and Annexes 1-8
• Housing Needs of Specific Groups in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire (2025)

We will consider all comments while developing the next version of the

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

.

All comments must be received by 30 January 2026 at 5pm.