Article 4 by council › Wyre Forest
HMO Article 4 in Wyre Forest
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Wyre Forest? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Wyre Forest had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Wyre Forest, subject to HMO licensing. Note: A non-immediate direction for Kidderminster was made 20 February 2026 and confirmed, but does not take effect until 20 February 2027. An HMO Article 4 direction (named areas: the town of Kidderminster) is confirmed but not yet in force: it applies from 2027-02-20. Until then a small HMO is still permitted development here. Checked 28 September 2026.
Council page: on Friday 20 February 2026 the council introduced a non-immediate Article 4 direction within the town of Kidderminster removing the PD right to convert a C3 dwellinghouse to a C4 HMO; from 20 February 2027 all such conversions require planning permission. The page links a confirmed, signed and sealed direction PDF. Not yet in force on the check date. Recorded as none until the in-force date; original verdict partial.
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: Wyre Forest council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.