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Article 4 by council › North East Lincolnshire

HMO Article 4 in North East Lincolnshire

Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in North East Lincolnshire? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.

No. North East Lincolnshire had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.

A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in North East Lincolnshire, subject to HMO licensing. Note: Grimsby Live (October 2025) reports Full Council agreed to set up a select committee to look at a borough-wide HMO Article 4 direction, and a third-party objection letter refers to a proposed direction under consultation, but no council page describing a made direction was found. Checked 28 September 2026.

ProposedGrimsby Live (October 2025) reports Full Council agreed to set up a select committee to look at a borough-wide HMO Article 4 direction, and a third-party objection letter refers to a proposed direction under consultation, but no council page describing a made direction was found.Council pagewww.nelincs.gov.uk/licencing/houses-in-multiple-occupation-hChecked28 September 2026

The council's HMO page says planning permission is needed where an HMO will be occupied by seven or more tenants and makes no mention of Article 4. A site search for 'article 4' on nelincs.gov.uk returned no Article 4 direction page. Existing Article 4 directions in the borough are conservation area directions (Bradford Avenue, Abbey Road, Great Coates, Humberston Fitties, Mill Road, St Peter's Avenue) and are not about HMOs.

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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.

See this on every listing.Kerbio puts the Article 4 answer, licensing, the council's HMO register and sold prices on the Rightmove, Zoopla or OnTheMarket page itself. Free for 7 days, then £39 a month.
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Sources: North East Lincolnshire council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.