Article 4 by council › Gravesham
HMO Article 4 in Gravesham
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Gravesham? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Gravesham had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Gravesham, subject to HMO licensing. Note: Cabinet agreed on 26 May 2026 to continue work towards a borough-wide HMO Article 4 direction (process started October 2025); no direction has yet been made. Checked 28 September 2026.
The council's Article 4 directions page lists only conservation area directions (Windmill Hill, Milton, Darnley Road, Cobham, Shorne, Meopham and others, 1998 to 2011). A council news article (gravesham.gov.uk/news/article/271) says small HMO conversions currently need no planning permission and Cabinet is building the evidence base for a future 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: Gravesham council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.