FAQs

Certain types of development do not always require planning permission from the Local Planning Authority. These are called ‘permitted development rights’. An Article 4 Direction is a special planning regulation that can be adopted for all or part of an area by a Local Planning Authority to remove specific permitted development rights, meaning that planning consent is therefore required.

For further information, the Planning Portal(External link) provides a useful summary of permitted development rights, the Use Classes Order and provides links to related legislation which need to be referred to in applications.

OPDC is proposing to remove permitted development rights to change the use from ‘Use Class C3: dwelling house’ to ‘Use Class C4: house in multiple occupation’. Further guidance on permitted development rights can be found at www.planningportal.gov.uk

The proposals are subject to public consultation from 28 November 2022 to 23 January 2023 (midnight). OPDC will consider the comments received when making a decision on whether or not to confirm the Article 4 Direction. If you would like to submit comments about this proposal, you can do this online at www.consult.opdc.london.gov.uk, by sending an email to article4@opdc.london.gov.uk or by writing to:

Article 4 Consultation

OPDC

Brent Civic Centre

32 Engineers Way

Wembley

HA9 0FJ

Please submit your comments by midnight on 23 January 2023. Any comments that you make may be available for public examination subject to data protection rules.

Once the consultation exercise has finished, OPDC will review all the representations it has received and make a decision whether or not to confirm the Direction. If the Direction is confirmed, it will come into effect on 1st December 2023. After this date planning permission would be required to convert a house into an HMO.