The owners of a property at 15 Glen Street have submitted an application to Blackpool Council seeking a Certificate of Lawfulness Existing to confirm the dwelling's use as a 4-person House in Multiple Occupation (Use Class C4). The application says the property has functioned as a small HMO since June 2020 and that there is no record of planning enforcement action against that use.
What the application says
A planning statement lodged as part of the application describes the building as a two‑storey semi‑detached home within an established residential area. It states the property is arranged internally as four bedrooms with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and has been occupied by individual tenants sharing communal facilities since June 2020.
“There is no record of any planning enforcement action or breach notices relating to the use of the property as an HMO.”
The applicants argue the HMO use predates a borough‑wide planning change. Blackpool Council introduced an Article 4 Direction under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 to remove the permitted development right allowing change of use from a single dwelling (Class C3) to a small HMO (Class C4). The Direction was made on 3 October 2022 and came into force on 3 October 2023, according to the application documents.
Applicant's position and implications
The owners claim the property’s use as a small HMO was "fully established from June 2020", which would mean the change of use occurred before the Article 4 Direction was made and before it took effect. They say there has been no material interruption to that use and no return to single‑dwelling occupation during the period in question.
- Site: 15 Glen Street, Blackpool
- Proposed/Existing use: Small HMO (Use Class C4), 4 occupants
- Key claim: Continuous HMO use since June 2020; no enforcement record
Dates and planning context
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Claimed start of HMO use | June 2020 |
| Article 4 Direction made | 3 October 2022 |
| Article 4 Direction in force | 3 October 2023 |
The council will consider the evidence when deciding whether to issue a Certificate of Lawfulness. Such a certificate would formally recognise the existing use and mean the property could lawfully remain as a small HMO without requiring retrospective planning permission.
For neighbours and others interested in local planning matters, the decision will be significant because it relates to how the Article 4 Direction is applied and enforced across Blackpool. The application does not indicate any history of enforcement action at the address; the planning authority will assess whether the documentation supplied supports the claimed continuous use.
