Plans for change in use of a house in St Helens to a HMO

The proposed conversion of the property at 38 Knowsley Road, St Helens, into a house in multiple occupation (HMO).

This comes after an application was submitted to St Helens Council by JLFF Properties Ltd, on April 14.

According to planning documents, the company is seeking a Certificate of Lawfulness to change the use of the property from C3, a single dwelling house, to C4, a small HMO catering to three to six residents.

The application has been validated and is currently awaiting a decision.

If approved, the applicant states the change can be made under permitted development rights.

The submitted plans reveal that the property will undergo minor internal changes.

This includes updated drainage with new connections and a small number of new stud partition walls.

Currently, there is a lounge, kitchen, utility/storage room and a separate dining room on the ground floor.

Proposed elevation drawings indicate that the utility/storage room would be removed so the kitchen can be extended and become a kitchen-diner. 

The lounge and dining room would both be transformed into bedrooms with en suite bathrooms.

On the first floor, there are currently three bedrooms with a shared bathroom and separate WC.

The three bedrooms would each gain an en suite bathroom.

On the top floor, the existing two bedrooms would be turned into one bedroom with a spacious en suite bathroom.

JLFF Properties Ltd has stated that the house has always been occupied as a C3 residential property, and the proposed change is lawful under the grounds of occupation.

The applicant claims that, within the St Helens Council area, changing the use of a property from C3 to C4 can be legally done under permitted development rights as there are no Article 4 Directions noted.

The St Helens property is currently visible from a public road, footpath, or other public land.

The full plans can be viewed on St Helens Council's planning portal under the reference number P/2026/0218/CLP.