Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

It is strongly suggested that this restriction be removed from the Policy
itself, and instead a more nuanced approach to the definition of over-concentration be
set out in the Supplementary Planning Document suggested in the consultation draft.

Proposed policy H/MO 1(b) includes a prohibition on “three or more adjacent properties
as HMOs”. This is unduly restrictive in the context of College accommodation in
Cambridge City Centre, where there are many examples of high-quality rows of College
owned HMOs (e.g. Jesus Lane [Christ’s College], Malcolm Street [Jesus College], Park Terrace
[Emmanuel College]). In certain roads in the City, this may be a better solution than “pepper
potting” College HMOs across the City: better for local residents in terms of the ability
of Colleges to manage the HMOs really effectively, and better for students in terms of
community.