Tighter controls on rented housing to start in 2027
All HMOs in Cambridge will need planning permission for the change of use.
Tighter controls on rented housing to start in 2027
The university city has been cited as one of the most expensive places to live in the UK
Stricter planning controls on a city's houses in multiple occupation (HMO) will be introduced next year, despite calls for them to begin straight away.
Under the current rules in Cambridge, HMOs of up to six residents can be created through permitted development.
All HMOs will need planning permission
The city council's cabinet backed the change, which will take effect in 12 months' time.
Stephen Kelly, joint director of planning at the Labour-led council, told the cabinet that delaying the restrictions would help avoid "potential claims for compensation".
There are nearly 1,000 licensed HMOs in Cambridge
, which is described as one of the most expensive places to live in the UK.
Critics of the number of HMOs say some areas lose a sense of community because of the high turnover of tenants who do not remain for long periods.
Rosy Moore, deputy leader of the council, supported the proposal because it was "something that a lot of residents are concerned with" as family homes are bought and converted into rental properties, with more people living in each one.
"However, I'd just like to note, considering some of the debate previously, that we do have a housing crisis in Cambridge and in Britain, and HMOs do provide vital help for some groups of people," she added.
Some campaigners had urged that applications for HMO licences be frozen immediately "to prevent a landgrab by developers", as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service
Thousands of fliers have been distributed in Cambridge calling for tougher housing controls on HMOs
Kelly told the cabinet that other councils, including Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, which introduced an immediate direction, faced a "relatively low risk of compensation".
"We're not aware of places where you have this kind of extreme pressure on housing and therefore potential inflationary pressures on HMO values similar to Cambridge that have followed that route," he said.
The current Greater Cambridge Housing Strategy has acknowledged
, external high prices to buy or rent in the area are "fuelled by high demand".
A six-week consultation on the plan will start in November before the cabinet's decision is taken to the full council.