Residents in two Mansfield streets say a rise in houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) is increasing pressure on parking, roads and other local infrastructure.
Mansfield MP Steve Yemm has renewed calls for the district council to introduce an Article 4 direction, which would require planning permission to convert family homes into HMOs of any size.
Residents of Princes Street say several properties have already been converted or are being refurbished for shared accommodation.
One elderly resident said a neighbouring family home had been extensively altered after it was sold.
“The one next door to me was sold because one of the owners died,” he said. “We were under the impression it would be kept that way.
“It had a brand new kitchen, bathroom and basement, and a new sauna outside. Then it was bought and they took the whole thing back to brick. It was sad to see.”
Marius Oprea, 47, who lives on the other side of the street, said tenants in some properties changed frequently.
“It can change fast,” he said. “They come for a month, two months, leave, and someone else comes. They change many times. It’s many cars.”
Mr Oprea said he had not experienced disturbance from HMO residents but was concerned about the cumulative impact of further conversions.
“My concern is that they don’t all become HMOs,” he said. “People come here, buy houses and instead of families, they make them into flats.
“The street becomes more congested. I’m not sure we have the infrastructure for that. At eight o’clock everyone goes to work. There are many cars.”
He said motorists sometimes parked outside his home, prompting him to leave notes asking them to be considerate.
Another resident said the street was “becoming a bit congested”.
Neighbour Faith Olaoti said Princes Street had become noticeably busier, although he had experienced few problems with people living in nearby HMOs.
“It’s a lot busier,” he said. “You can tell by the condition of the road. We recently had it resurfaced, but it’s already looking very deteriorated and used.
“I didn’t realise there were so many HMOs. I guess it’s now starting to look as if it’s a significant issue.”
He added: “We haven’t had any issues with any of them other than parking occasionally, but that’s easily resolved.”
Smaller HMO conversions can take place without a full planning application under permitted development rights. Councils can remove those rights in designated areas by introducing an Article 4 direction, meaning future conversions would require planning permission.
Mr Yemm, who held a parliamentary debate about HMOs last year, wants Mansfield District Council to introduce such controls across the district.
“There’s quite a lot of lower-cost housing in Mansfield,” he said. “For someone to come in and buy up multiple properties and convert them to HMOs is a rather profitable thing.
“I’ve said to government there should be a national set limit on HMO developments, to make it easy for councils to say: ‘We’ve got a certain proportion of HMOs in this area, we’ve hit the ceiling, there can’t be any more.’
“People have a feeling that the character of residential streets like this is changing and that they have very little control over it. They’re rightly concerned.
“Princes Street already has a lot of HMOs, and I think there’s a limit to the number you can put on a residential street like this.”
Introducing an Article 4 direction requires a council to gather evidence and conduct consultation. Mr Yemm said the Government should make the process easier.
“It takes quite a bit of work to get there,” he said. “I’ve made the case to government that we should make it easier for councils, because getting this legislation in is sometimes urgent.
“I really think the council should be listening to residents on streets like this which now have lots of HMOs on them. I’ve met with the council to tell them they should make use of Article 4.
“There are a lot of things that the government can do, but the first step — the council implementing it — is really the important one.”
Residents raised similar concerns on Charles Street, where a number of properties have also been converted into HMOs.
Pamela Gibson, who has lived there for seven years, said: “It seems like every other house, when it goes up for sale, it’s: ‘Let’s make it an HMO.’
“Later in the day you can’t get up here for cars. We don’t park out here because we’ve had our cars scratched and bashed. Adding six and eight-bedroom homes all over the place becomes a bit of a nightmare when people come home.”
Another resident said: “It needs regulating. They need to know how many are on a street and how many are permitted.
“It’s the amount of them. Once they’re HMOs, they’re never going to be family homes again.”
One resident said rubbish and obstructive parking were also causing problems on Charles Street.
“This street used to be immaculate,” they said. “People leave stuff on the lane. Once one person drops something, another does. I’m always contacting the council.
“If it wasn’t for me and my neighbour, there’d be rubbish everywhere. We come out and clean it.”
The resident claimed parked cars sometimes prevented refuse vehicles from entering the street and expressed concern about access for emergency services.
Mr Yemm said: “There are important quality-of-life issues. Can you get your bin emptied and can you park your car? These become quite emotional for people.
“Residents living on streets affected by this across Mansfield think it’s time for the council to act. Article 4 would allow local people to have a say through the planning process about the shape of their street.”
A Mansfield District Council spokesperson said: “We understand residents’ concerns. The council is currently reviewing HMO numbers, distribution and trends across Mansfield as part of our ongoing assessment of housing needs and local communities.
“As part of this work, we are considering the range of planning powers available to local authorities, including whether an Article 4 direction may be appropriate. Any decision would need to be based on robust evidence and a thorough assessment of local circumstances.
“We will continue to work with local partners, residents and elected representatives to ensure any future action is proportionate, evidence-based and in the best interests of Mansfield communities.”
By Joseph Connolly, Local Democracy Reporter