HMO Conversions in Enfield: The Ultimate Planning Checklist

If you are a property developer looking to convert a family home (C3) into a small House in Multiple Occupation (C4) in the London Borough of Enfield, you may be aware that the landscape has changed significantly in recent years.

Gone are the days of automatic Permitted Development rights for these conversions. Since October 2013, Enfield has enforced a borough-wide Article 4 Direction, withdrawing permitted development rights for changing a Class C3 dwelling house to a Class C4 HMO (3 to 6 unrelated people). This means planning permission is always required.

To ensure your application doesn't get rejected, your proposal must meet specific criteria regarding density, room sizes, and amenity standards. We have compiled the requirements from Enfield’s Core Strategy, Development Management Document (DMD), and HMO Standards into this essential checklist.

1. The Location Test

Before you even commission a planning agent, you must determine if the property’s location permits a conversion. Enfield has strict policies to prevent "clustering."

1. The 20% Concentration Rule: Your application will be refused if the conversion results in HMOs (or flat conversions) exceeding 20% of all properties along the road.

   • Note: A "road" is defined as the full length and both sides of an individually named highway. If the road is exceptionally long, the Council may analyse the specific "local" stretch based on character and breaks in frontage.

2. The "Sandwich" Rule: The Council will refuse permission if the conversion disrupts the residential pattern of a row of terraces. Specifically, only 1 out of a consecutive row of 5 units may be converted. You cannot sandwich a single family home between two HMOs/flats.

3. Conservation Areas: Be extremely cautious if the property is in a Conservation Area. There is a general presumption against the conversion of single dwellings into HMOs or flats in these zones to protect existing character.

2. Internal Space Standards

Enfield assesses the quality of accommodation rigorously. If your floor plans do not meet these minimums, the application will fail under Policy DMD 5 regarding "high quality form of accommodation".

1. Minimum Bedroom Sizes: When calculating floor area, you must discount space occupied by chimney breasts and any floor area where the ceiling height is less than 1.5m.

   • Single Room (shared kitchen): Minimum 6.51 sqm (occupant over 10 years old).

   • Double Room (shared kitchen): Minimum 10.22 sqm.

   • Single Room (with kitchen facilities inside): Minimum 10.2 sqm.

   • Double Room (with kitchen facilities inside): Minimum 13.9 sqm.

2. Ceiling Heights: Rooms with sloped ceilings (like loft conversions) must have a minimum height of 2.3 metres over at least half of the habitable floor area.

3. Communal Living Space: If the HMO is a "shared house" (where tenants interact socially), you must provide communal living/dining space.

   • For 1-5 occupiers: A combined kitchen/dining area must be at least 11 sqm if shared, or a separate living/dining room must be 8.5 sqm.

3. Amenities and Facilities

Your floor plans must demonstrate that the property can handle the intensified use without compromising hygiene or comfort.

1. Bathroom Ratios:

   • Standard: One bathroom/shower room and one toilet is required for every 5 occupants.

   • Specifications: Every toilet compartment must have a hand wash basin. Baths/showers must have a constant supply of hot water.

2. Kitchen Facilities:

   • Location: Ideally not more than one floor away from the letting rooms it serves (maximum two floors).

   • Size: A kitchen used by 1-5 people must be at least 6 sqm. For 6-10 people, it must be 11 sqm (or 14.5 sqm if two sets of cooking facilities are installed).

   • Equipment: Portable cooking hobs are not acceptable.

4. External Requirements

Policy DMD 5 and DMD 8 require that the conversion does not harm the street scene or neighboring amenity.

1. Refuse and Recycling: You must show adequate storage for refuse and recycling on your plans. These bins must not, by design or form, adversely affect the quality of the street scene. They should not obstruct footways or obscure natural lighting to windows.

2. Parking and Cycle Storage:

   • Car Parking: While exact standards vary by PTAL (Public Transport Accessibility Level), you must demonstrate that the conversion won't cause on-street parking stress.

   • Cycle Parking: This is critical. You must provide secure, step-free, long-stay cycle storage.

     • Standard: 1 space per 1-person dwelling; 2 spaces for larger units. For HMOs, aim for 1 space per bedroom to ensure approval safety.

3. Private Amenity Space: The property must provide good quality private amenity space (gardens/balconies). For ground floor units, this is vital.

5. Management and Safety

While these are often licensing issues, Planning Officers will assess the viability of the layout to support these standards.

1. Noise Transmission: The layout should stack rooms of compatible uses (e.g., bedrooms above bedrooms) to minimise noise transfer. Sound insulation must be adequate to prevent unacceptable disturbance to neighbours.

2. Natural Light: All habitable rooms must have an openable window. Basement rooms or deep internal rooms without natural light and outlook will be rejected.

Other Considerations

1. Flood Risk Areas: If the site falls within Flood Zones 2 or 3, a Flood Risk Assessment will be required.

2. Fire Strategy: Where intensification is significant, consider submitting a Fire Safety Strategy (FSS) in line with London Plan Policy D12.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Submitting non-compliant drawings without scale bars, waste details, or elevations.

• Failing to undertake pre-app engagement for sensitive or constrained sites.

• Assuming permitted development rights remain available.

• Underestimating the impact of neighbour objections.

• Ignoring cross-over issues between planning, building regulations and licensing.

Conclusion: Designing for Compliance and Quality

Strict adherence to Enfield’s Development Management Document (DMD) and HMO Standards is critical to mitigating refusal risk and securing a streamlined approval.

To ensure your project remains compliant with the latest policies and specific space standards, contact our consultancy for a comprehensive technical appraisal and end-to-end application management. While this checklist provides a baseline according to Enfield’s current policy framework, professional oversight is essential to navigate complex site-specific constraints and regulatory updates.