- Decision
- dismissed, 27 August 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: J Buxton
- Authority
- Manchester (North West)
- Appeal reference
- 6008362
- Application reference
- 145209/FO/2026
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Change of use from dwellinghouse (C3) to 4-person HMO (C4)
- Site context
- inside settlement
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- s38(6)
- Development plan policies
- Manchester Core Strategy SP1, H5, H11, DM1
- Main issues
- housing mix and family housing; character and living conditions
Summary
A four-person HMO in Moss Side was dismissed on the Core Strategy's protection of family housing in a regeneration area (Policy H11). The inspector found no amenity harm and no excessive HMO concentration (DL ¶10, ¶15). The case was decided plan-led, and the Framework was said to leave the policy context unchanged (DL ¶2).
What made the difference
The Maine Road regeneration objective of retaining family housing engaged the second limb of H11, which was given significant weight (DL ¶11).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HO5 | not-engaged | decided on MCS H11 family-housing protection in the Maine Road regeneration area; significant weight to the conflict (DL 11-12); Framework said not to change the context (DL 2) | |
| P3 | pass | modest intensification; no harm to neighbours (DL 13-15) |
Key facts
- No high HMO concentration shown, but H11 protects family housing where regeneration sought to increase it (DL 10-11)
- Revised Framework "does not change the planning policy context in respect of the main issues" (DL 2)
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.