29/10/2026
I am writing this to update you on the outcome of the long running planning dispute relating to the HMO at 53 Duxbury Avenue, Little Lever.
Many residents will be aware that a retrospective planning application was submitted seeking permission for the change of use of the property from a family dwelling (Use Class C3) to a four person House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) (Use Class C4). The proposal attracted significant objection from local residents concerned about parking, residential amenity and the continued erosion of traditional family housing within our community.
Since May I have worked alongside residents to oppose the proposal, challenged the evidence submitted, raised concerns with planning officers and repeatedly questioned how the application was being handled.
The original planning application has now been withdrawn by the applicant. However, despite the withdrawal, the Council has subsequently granted a Certificate of Lawfulness for the continued use of the property as an HMO, meaning that the use can continue despite the many concerns raised by residents.
To be frank, I believe this outcome exposes serious weaknesses in the way our councils planning system currently operates and i am deeply upset and frustrated by this descision making.
Throughout this process local residents were encouraged to engage, submit objections and make their voices heard. Many did exactly that. Yet despite the volume of local concern, the final outcome leaves many asking whether the process was ever capable of delivering a result that genuinely reflected the wishes of the community.
I have repeatedly challenged the evidence relied upon by the Council and sought answers regarding how the conclusion had been reached. Those concerns were dismissed, and despite my efforts and those of local residents, the Council has proceeded with granting lawful status to the HMO.
The reality is that residents often find themselves at a disadvantage when navigating a planning system that appears increasingly focused on technical planning tests and legal thresholds rather than the wider impact decisions have on established communities. Where there is doubt, the benefit too often seems to fall in favour of developers and applicants rather than the residents who have invested their lives in an area.
What makes this decision even more disappointing is that Bolton Council has recently acknowledged the growing concerns surrounding HMOs and despite this Officers have continued to make the descisions they have.
In September, Reform UK Councillors successfully brought forward a motion which was supported by all Councillors in chambers, apart from Councillors from Labour who all voted against it, However having it approved despite Labours objections means that it was recognised on the impact that concentrations of HMOs can have on communities and calling for stronger action.
Among the key measures sought by the motion were:
1. A review of HMO provision and concentrations across the borough.
2. Stronger planning controls where existing powers allow.
3. Investigation of additional licensing and enforcement options.
4. Consideration of measures to protect established family housing and balanced communities.
5. Greater transparency and accountability in the way HMO-related decisions are taken.
6. Lobbying Government for stronger powers where local authorities currently lack them.
The motion represents a clear recognition that residents' concerns about HMOs are both legitimate and widespread.
Whilst Bolton Council has acknowledged the problem in principle, residents in and around Duxbury Avenue will now understandably question why that recognition has not translated into a more robust approach in practice.
In my view, there is a contradiction between the Council accepting concerns about the cumulative impact of HMOs on communities and then presiding over a process that ultimately permits another HMO despite sustained local opposition.
I do not criticise residents for losing faith in the planning process when outcomes such as this occur. People are repeatedly told to engage with consultations and submit comments, only to discover that decisions are often driven by legal and technical processes that appear detached from common sense concerns about neighbourhood character, parking pressures and community cohesion.
There are no rights of appeal on this matter and the council has concluded their decisions, however I will continue to press the Council to honour the spirit of the HMO motion and move beyond words towards meaningful action. Little Lever & Darcy Lever, in fact all of Bolton deserves planning policies that protect communities, preserve family housing and ensure that residents' voices carry genuine weight when decisions affecting their neighbourhoods are made.
I would like to thank every resident who contacted me, attended meetings, submitted objections or otherwise supported the campaign. While we have not secured the outcome we sought, your efforts highlighted the strength of feeling within our community and ensured that local voices could not simply be ignored.
I remain committed to holding the Council to account and continuing the fight for stronger controls on HMOs across Bolton.
