Swale Borough Council: Article 4 Direction for HMOs

What is the Swale Article 4 direction?

Swale Borough Council has made an Article 4 direction for houses in multiple occupation that is with an effective date to be confirmed. Once in force, the borough-wide direction will require planning permission for all conversions from Class C3 (dwellinghouse) to Class C4 (small HMO with 3-6 unrelated occupants).

Wards and areas covered

The Swale Article 4 direction applies to the following wards and areas:

• Sittingbourne
• Faversham
• Sheerness
• Queenborough

What this means for HMO investors

Because the Article 4 direction is borough/city-wide, every residential property in Swale's area is affected. Investors planning to acquire and convert family homes into HMOs in this area should budget time and cost for a full planning application, even for properties that would otherwise qualify as small HMOs under permitted development.

If you're considering acquiring or converting a property in Swale, factor planning permission into your due-diligence timeline and budget. Refused applications can scupper a deal, and unauthorised conversions risk enforcement action and lender complications.