Article 4 by council › Stockport
HMO Article 4 in Stockport
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Stockport? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Stockport had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Stockport, subject to HMO licensing. Note: Cabinet on 15 September 2026 approved recommendations to introduce an Article 4 direction relating to small HMOs (reported by Planning Geek as immediate and borough wide); the direction had not been made or published at the time of checking. Checked 28 September 2026.
The council's Article 4 page lists only conservation area directions (last updated 2016). The Cabinet forward plan shows 'Introduction of an Article 4 Direction Relating to Small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)' decided by Cabinet on 15 September 2026 under the general exception procedure, recommendations approved. Watch for the made direction and operative date.
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: Stockport council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.