Eastbourne HMO study to be funded

A study looking into the impact of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Eastbourne is set to be funded.

By Jacob Panons

Published 15th Jul 2022, 14:46 BST

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Devonshire councillor Stephen Holt said Eastbourne Borough Council agreed to fund the study on Wednesday, July 13.

He added: “I want to be clear that well-run HMOs [house in multiple occupation] are a valuable part of our housing strategy. However, with the majority of these HMOs concentrated in Devonshire ward, I do have a concern with regards to saturation and the pressures that it has on public services, waste management and traffic.

“This [study] will investigate the possibilities of an Article 4 direction within the town and the impact of additional licensing and planning restrictions concerning HMOs.”

Eastbourne councillor Stephen Holt. Picture from Mark Dimmock

Eastbourne councillor Stephen Holt. Picture from Mark Dimmock

Cllr Margaret Bannister added: “As a Devonshire resident in the town centre, and with the ongoing housing crisis, I know the importance of well-run HMOs. However, with an increasing number of housing applications looking to convert family homes to HMOs, we need to consider the impact of this”.

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