Consultation is open from 3 August 2026 9:00am to 25 September 2026 5:00pm
Policy H/MO: Houses in Multiple Occupation
1. Proposals for HMOs that require planning permission (C4 or sui generis) will be supported, where the applicant has demonstrated that:
a. The HMO does not cause harm to residential amenity of occupants of the HMO, to neighbouring properties or the surrounding area;
b. The proposed HMO would not result in an existing residential property (C3 use) being ‘sandwiched’ by any adjoining HMOs on both sides 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;
d. The HMO provides appropriate communal space proportionate to the number of occupants, and provides a high-quality living environment; and
e. The HMO has good access to sustainable modes of transport, shops and other local services.
2. Where there is an existing breach of ‘sandwiched’ HMOs and / or an existing continuous frontage of three of more HMOs, the proposal may be supported in exceptional circumstances, where the applicant has demonstrated that the impact of an additional HMO would not cause any harm.
3. Appropriate management arrangements, through a site management plan, should be put in place in order to monitor and minimise antisocial behaviour and adverse impact on local residents.
4. All 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.
Supporting information
9.93. HMOs form an important part of the housing market in Greater Cambridge with demand linked to major employment centres such as universities, hospitals and science parks.
9.94. 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 three unrelated people in two 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.
9.95. Many HMOs are occupied by students, but students make up less than half of all HMO residents in Greater Cambridge (Census 2021), the percentage is very low for South Cambridgeshire and higher in Cambridge reflecting the strong role of the universities in Cambridge’s housing market. 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 Greater Cambridge as a whole.
9.96. The Greater Cambridge Houses in Multiple Occupation Study (2026) indicates that HMOs also represent the most viable market-based housing option for those unable to access social housing in Greater Cambridge. With average one-bedroom rents substantially exceeding Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, self-contained private rented accommodation is largely inaccessible to many single adults and low-income households. HMOs also form an important component of the homelessness prevention and relief pathway - a significant proportion of homelessness presentations relate to the end of private tenancies, and engagement indicates that HMOs are essential to accommodation sourcing and homelessness prevention services.
9.97. Overconcentration of HMOs arises in situations where the proportion of HMOs is sufficiently high enough to affect the character, amenity and mix of household types and tenures within a neighbourhood. The effects of HMO concentrations may vary depending on the local context and underlying housing stock. In areas dominated by traditional houses (for example terraced streets), concentrations of HMOs may be more perceptible and have greater implications for neighbourhood amenity. By contrast, in flatted developments or higher-density schemes, a higher proportion of units in shared occupation may not give rise to the same impacts and may be less discernible in practice.
9.98. Criterion 1b of the policy aims to prevent the potential for negative impacts upon existing dwellings due to a sandwiching effect. It also aims to ensure a balanced mix of property types and tenures at a street level. The sandwich test is required in order to avoid the potential for negative noise and amenity impacts commonly associated with HMOs on both sides of an existing residential property. Such impacts are a particular issue where properties share a party wall, and where driveways and back gardens adjoin, or are in very close proximity to each other. It is therefore considered appropriate to restrict situations where an existing residential property would have a HMO adjoining on both sides or result in three or more adjacent properties as HMOs.
9.99. 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).
9.100. The concentration of HMOs in an area may be at such a point that the introduction of a new HMO would not change the character of the area, due to the majority of properties already in this residential use (for example a continuous frontage of three or more University or College owned and managed HMOs). In such circumstances the retention of the property as a family dwelling (Use Class C3) is likely to have little effect on the balance and mix of households in an area which already has a high concentration of existing HMO households. Therefore, conversion of a property to an HMO would not further harm the character of the area and may provide accommodation for identified housing needs of specific groups. Each planning application will be considered on its individual merits as to whether this exception should be allowed.
9.101. HMOs are required to meet the internal and external residential space standards set out in Policy H/SS, 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.
9.102. 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.
9.103. Management arrangements showing how the development will be managed and maintained must be produced and submitted with the planning application. Information submitted should be proportionate to the scale of development and include detailed information on long term management and maintenance arrangements and outline the measures that will be in place to manage any issues arising that could impact on amenity in the surrounding area. A condition to require this may be applied to relevant planning permissions.
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All comments must be received by 25 September 2026 at 5pm.