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Falmouth residents are urged to have their say on Houses in Multiple Occupation

If you would like to see the growth of houses of multiple occupation (HMO’s) in Falmouth managed effectively, this is your chance to have your say.

The Planning Policy Working Party members which included Falmouth and Penryn Town Councillors, Council Officers and a Community Plan representative, met earlier this month to plan the best way forward to manage the increasing number of multiple occupancy properties in the town and the Working Party agreed that Falmouth & Penryn should implement an Article 4 Direction to restrict HMO’s in and around Falmouth & Penryn.

Recent changes to planning regulations mean that a change of use from a dwelling house to a house in multiple occupation is now possible under permitted development rights and planning applications are not needed.

However local Authorities are able to use existing powers, in the form of article 4 directions, to remove these rights and require planning applications for such changes of use in defined areas.

Next month the Cornwall Council Planning Policy Advisory Panel will meet again, to decide if an Article 4 Direction should be implemented for Falmouth and Penryn. The application was deferred at the end of last year for more evidence of the requirement to be gathered. Therefore, the Planning Policy Working Party would like to make sure that the voice of the residents of Falmouth & Penryn are heard at the next meeting, before the decision is made.

This is your chance to tell the Councillors how you feel and enable them to progress the issue to Cornwall Council. Unless you tell us now, we cannot evidence what we have been saying to the Cornwall Council Planning Policy Advisory Panel members.

Please complete and return the following questionnaire, by no later than Sunday 27th February 2011, by one of the following methods:

  1. Complete and email: Please click here (microsoft word document) to download, complete, save and return by email to emilymiddleditch@falmouthtowncouncil.com 

    or,

  2. Print, complete by hand, and post: Please click here (Adobe PDF document) - print it off, fill in, and post in the letter box on the ground floor of the Municipal Buildings, The Moor, Falmouth.

February 2011