Article 4 by council › Braintree
HMO Article 4 in Braintree
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Braintree? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Braintree had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Braintree, subject to HMO licensing. Checked 28 September 2026.
The council's Article 4 directions page lists two directions only: Silver End Conservation Area (1983, amended 1985) and Land off Back Lane, Stisted (Brook Farm, 2003, covering enclosures, temporary buildings and caravan use). Neither concerns HMOs or C3 to C4 change of use.
Check an exact postcode
A direction can cover part of a council, and the national dataset is incomplete. This asks the planning data service for the exact point and falls back to the council's own statement.
What an Article 4 direction means
HMO Article 4 directions remove the permitted-development right to convert a family home (C3) to a small HMO (C4, 3 to 6 people). Inside one, that conversion needs full planning permission. Councils may also run additional licensing (smaller HMOs) or selective licensing (all private rentals) in designated areas. Planning permission and licensing are separate: a licence does not grant planning permission, and permission does not remove the need for a licence.
Sources: Braintree council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.