- Decision
- dismissed, 2 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: A J Boughton
- Authority
- Enfield (London)
- Appeal reference
- 6009972
- Application reference
- 25/03478/FUL
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Change of use of two dwellinghouses to two 5-bedroom HMOs with fenestration changes (part retrospective)
- Site context
- inside settlement
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- P3(2)(a)
- Development plan policies
- Enfield Development Management Document 2014 DMD5, DMD8
- Main issues
- living conditions of occupiers
Summary
Two adjoining houses converted into two separate 5-bed HMOs. Dismissed because the communal kitchen-diners were inadequate: one was undersized, and neither had an openable window, so there was "unacceptable risk of unhealthy condensation and the accumulation of mould" (DL ¶13). The new Framework was taken into account (DL ¶3) but only referenced at a high level: effective use of land "should not diminish healthy living conditions" (DL ¶14).
What made the difference
Quality, not just area. Floor area met NDSS-equivalent levels, but "the quality of an essential facility such as a kitchen … is not determinable solely on the basis of floor area" (DL ¶12). Significant weight was given because these were the only communal rooms (DL ¶14).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| P3(2)(a) | fail | significant | kitchen-diners (only communal rooms) have no openable window; one undersized against the 8.5 sqm HMO standard; risk of condensation and mould (DL 9-14) |
| L2 | neutral | Framework cited as saying effective use of land "should not diminish healthy living conditions" (footnote refers to intensification incl. HMO) (DL 14) |
Key facts
- Each house has 5 bedrooms and one kitchen-diner as its only shared habitable room
- No 1A kitchen below Enfield HMO standard of 8.5 sqm for up to 5 persons; neither kitchen has an openable window
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.