Article 4 by council › Folkestone and Hythe
HMO Article 4 in Folkestone and Hythe
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Folkestone and Hythe? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Folkestone and Hythe had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Folkestone and Hythe, subject to HMO licensing. Checked 28 September 2026.
The council's Article 4 pages list only two directions for land at Longage Hill, Lyminge (No. 1 of 2023 confirmed 3 June 2024, No. 2 of 2023 confirmed 10 December 2024), made 'in the interests of the visual amenity of the area'. The council's HMO licence page says landlords must check planning consent but does not mention Article 4. No HMO direction.
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: Folkestone and Hythe council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.