Article 4 by council › Central Bedfordshire
HMO Article 4 in Central Bedfordshire
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Central Bedfordshire? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Central Bedfordshire had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Central Bedfordshire, subject to HMO licensing. Checked 28 September 2026.
The council's Article 4 directions page lists six directions (Wrest Park Estate Silsoe, Fairfield Parish, Toddington Conservation Area, Lower Sundon, Husborne Crawley Conservation Area, Sandhouse Public House Heath and Reach), covering physical alterations, agricultural buildings and B1 to B8 use. None 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: Central Bedfordshire council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.