Council backs regeneration of Inverness city centre
The Leader of The Highland Council Drew Hendry has promised the Council’s full and active involvement in the regeneration of Inverness city centre by tackling anti-social behaviour and reducing the number of homeless people placed in temporary city centre accommodation, such as Houses of Multiple Occupation.
Councillor Hendry attended a business meeting of Inverness Business Improvement District (BID) before speaking on the issue at a meeting of the Council’s Planning Environment and Planning Committee.
Councillor Hendry said: “Anti-social behaviour in the city centre is unacceptable. We need a strong inter-agency plan of action and will work with local businesses, via BID, and the police on this.
“In addition we must work together to help vulnerable people who find themselves homeless. The Council recognises concerns about HMOs in the city centre and in response we have strengthened considerably our guidance on the future development of HMOs. I am confident we have put in place the safeguards needed to tackle this.”
He revealed that a report will be presented to the Finance Housing and Resources Committee on Wednesday 30 January recommending a measure that in the longer term will reduce the use of temporary accommodation in the city centre for people who find themselves unintentionally homeless.
He said the Council currently spends £3 million each year on emergency housing for the homeless. The report will highlight the potential to divert the money into the construction of purpose-built accommodation for homeless people, away from the city centre. In time when the need for homeless accommodation eases, the properties could be added to the Council’s stock of houses for rent.”
The PED Committee today (Wednesday) agreed supplementary guidance on how the Council will assess planning applications for Houses in Multiple Occupation across the Highlands.
Members voted for an option that places no limit on the concentration of HMO accommodation in Inverness city centre, with the position being reviewed if the concentration of HMO accommodation within the City Centre reaches 10%. This approach is seen as allowing the provision of larger and smaller HMO accommodation to be led by the need and demand for the type and scale of required accommodation.
In assessing planning applications for HMO proposals, the Council will only be supported the application where: -
The Committee noted that the management and maintenance of houses in multiple occupation are controlled by licensing. However, in the interests of community amenity, any large house in multiple occupation (6 or more occupants) which receives planning permission will be required to submit the agreed details of the management and maintenance procedures for the house in multiple occupation to the Planning Authority prior to the occupation of the development.