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Article 4 by council › Stevenage

HMO Article 4 in Stevenage

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

Yes, in the areas Stevenage has published.

Stevenage has published 127 Article 4 direction areas to the national planning dataset, 2 of them for HMOs. A small HMO of 3 to 6 people needs full planning permission inside those areas. The postcode checker below tests the exact point against them.

National dataset127 direction areas published, 2 for HMOsChecked7 September 2026

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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: planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.