Article 4 by council › Newcastle
HMO Article 4 in Newcastle
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Newcastle? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
Yes, in the areas Newcastle has published.
Newcastle has published 13 Article 4 direction areas to the national planning dataset, 6 of them for HMOs. A small HMO of 3 to 6 people needs full planning permission inside those areas. The postcode checker below tests the exact point against them.
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.
Licensing in Newcastle
Mandatory HMO licence: 5 or more people forming 2 or more households sharing facilities.
Additional licensing: yes, whole district (from 1 April 2025).
Selective licensing: yes, named areas: Byker Old Town and Greater High Cross (Oct 2021 to Oct 2026); Cowgate, West End Terraces, HHRS Benwell, Lemington, Denton Court, Columbia Grange (from April 2025) (from 1 April 2025).
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: planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.