Public invited to comment on proposed Article 4 Direction for Hinckley 

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PRESS RELEASE

ISSUED 18 FEBRUARY 2026

 

Public invited to comment on proposed Article 4 Direction for Hinckley

 

Residents, landlords and businesses are being invited to have their say on proposals that would give Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council greater control over where new Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are located in Hinckley.

 

The Borough Council has launched a public consultation on a proposed Article 4 Direction, which would mean that planning permission would be required before new HMOs can be created within a defined area of Hinckley. The consultation runs until Monday 23 March 2026, and everyone is encouraged to take part.

 

At present, small HMOs of up to six people can be created without planning permission under national permitted development rules. An Article 4 Direction does not ban HMOs and would not prevent development from coming forward. Instead, it removes the automatic right, allowing the Borough Council to consider each proposal on its individual merits and apply local planning policies when deciding applications.

 

The Council is consulting on the proposal in response to concerns from residents, councillors and local communities about the growing concentration of HMOs in parts of Hinckley town centre and surrounding streets. National planning rules require Article 4 Directions to be evidence‑led and focused on specific areas, which is why the proposal applies to a defined part of the town rather than being borough‑wide.

 

If introduced, the Direction would not be retrospective. Existing lawful HMOs would not be affected, and landlords would still be able to apply for planning permission for new HMOs. Licensing arrangements for HMOs would remain separate and unchanged.

 

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council Leader Stuart Bray said: “For some time now, councillors and officers have been extremely frustrated that we have had very limited ability to influence where HMOs are located, even when communities raise strong concerns. This proposed Article 4 Direction would, if approved, give us a way to look properly at each application, consider the local impacts and work towards a more balanced and sustainable spread of HMOs across Hinckley. An Article 4 Direction is about having a say and assessing proposals properly, not stopping development.”

 

People can take part in the consultation by completing the online survey at https://www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/article4 , emailing the Planning Team at planning@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk, or by viewing the consultation documents in person at the Council Offices or Hinckley Library during normal opening hours.

 

All comments received will be carefully considered before the council decides whether to confirm the Article 4 Direction and it would need confirmation from the Secretary of State.

 

For more information, contact the Planning Team on 01455 238141 or email planning@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk.