Lib Dems call for local councils to be freed to set housing policy
June 22, 2010 7:29 PM
Lib Dem Housing Spokesperson Cllr Iain Donaldson
Liberal Democrats in Manchester have written to housing minister Grant Shapps calling for power to set rules on planning decisions relating to houses in multiple occupation to be vested with local councils.
Despite 13 years in Government, Labour failed to secure rules stating that developers must apply for planning permission to rent properties out as houses in multiple occupation, where more than two unrelated people share a house.
Lib Dem housing spokesperson, Cllr Iain Donaldson, stated "We have been calling for regulation of houses in multiple occupancy in this City for many years, and yet the last Labour Government failed to get legislation through Westminster in time. With the commitments in the Coalition document to localisation of decision-making we want to see Manchester City Council empowered to set these rules locally."
High concentrations of multiple-occupations can have a negative effect on the surrounding neighbourhood, by causing an increase in noise and disturbance or by causing the types of shops and services in those areas to change, as has been seen in places such as Withington, Chorlton, Whalley Range and Fallowfield.
Cllr Donaldson added "Labour can whinge about these powers all they want, but they failed to deliver. I am calling on the Minister to show that this government is about action, and not just comforting words."
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