Durham County Council has confirmed a countywide Article 4 Direction requiring planning permission to convert family homes into HMOs across the whole county. The Direction comes into force on 17 August 2026, significantly restricting permitted development rights for new HMOs.
What the Direction does. An Article 4 Direction has been confirmed for the whole of the county other than areas already covered by existing Article 4s for HMOs. This means that once in force, planning permission will be required to convert a family home into an HMO within this area. It will come into force on 17 August 2026. Currently, under permitted development rights, C3 dwellings can be converted to small C4 HMOs (up to six occupants) without needing to apply for planning permission. This Direction removes that right across County Durham.
Why the Direction was introduced. The countywide planning measure for HMOs has been confirmed by the Head of Planning and Housing together with the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Civic Resilience, with delegated authority to make the decision. The new measures will come into place from Monday 17 August 2026, at which point all HMOs in the county will require planning approval, not just larger developments. The decision was made after consultation showed that around 80% of the more than 1,400 responses were in support of the proposal.
Areas already covered. An existing Article 4 Direction for a defined area of Durham City for HMOs came into force on 17 September 2016. Further directions apply to Framwellgate Moor, Newton Hall and Pity Me (May 2017), and Mount Oswald, Carrville and Belmont. The new countywide Direction fills the gap across all remaining areas of the county.
Practical implications. Any landlord or investor who purchases a family home in County Durham with the intention of converting it to an HMO on or after 17 August 2026 must factor in the cost and uncertainty of a planning application for change of use from C3 to C4. Planning permission can be refused if the local authority determines that the concentration of HMOs in that area is already excessive. An overconcentration of this type of household can have a negative impact on day-to-day life for communities, often because of issues around increased noise, the general appearance of properties, the management of rubbish, and parking. There can also be more long-term implications, such as a loss of family housing and an impact on community cohesion.
Action required
If you plan to convert any residential property in County Durham into a new HMO after 17 August 2026, you must submit a planning application before commencing conversion. Existing lawful HMOs are unaffected but must be documented.
Effective
2026-08-17
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