Understanding Article 4 Direction in Plymouth for HMOs
Plymouth City Council introduced an Article 4 Direction which came into effect on 12th September 2012. This direction removed the permitted development rights allowing a change of use from C3 (Residential Dwelling) to C4 (House in Multiple Occupation for 3–6 unrelated individuals) without planning permission.
Under this change:
Properties already in C4 use at the time retained their permitted development rights.
However, if a property reverted back to C3 use, the permitted development rights were lost.
Any future change back to C4 use would then require full planning permission.
The Article 4 Direction applies across Plymouth city centre. You can view the exact areas affected on the official Plymouth City Council map here:
Plymouth Council - HMO Planning Permission Map
Before purchasing an HMO in Plymouth, ensure that:
The property holds a Certificate of Lawful Use for C4 class use, or
There is sufficient evidence to prove continuous use as a C4 property since the Article 4 Direction came into force in 2012.
If you're unsure about the property's use class or need guidance on navigating Article 4 regulations, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We're here to help.