CRAM to meet Council officers about HMO 10% cap

Representatives from Concerned Residents Around Magee (CRAM) group, which has been campaigning for a 10% cap on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in the city, are scheduled to meet officers from Derry City and Strabane District Council.

At the meeting, which is taking place today (Monday), CRAM will highlight how the 10% cap would prevent the “dereliction and decline” of their communities.

The group is also challenging the claim Council’s consultation methodology on the issue involved residents in “meaningful ways”. CRAM described the process as “deeply flawed”.

In a letter presented to Council in advance of its May plenary on Wednesday afternoon, CRAM described itself as “ordinary residents” who “have worked hard to become informed about housing policies and planning because we are already living with the consequences of a swell in HMO numbers”.

There were several members of CRAM in the public gallery of the Guildhall during the meeting.

CRAM added: “Our appeal for 10% is based on evidence. Our research, and the extensive knowledge contained within the National HMO Lobby group research, makes clear 10% is the tipping point at which communities become significantly negatively affected by HMO.

“Many (especially historic) cities across the UK have adopted a 10% threshold for precisely this reason.

“We calculated, in a typical terraced street in Rosemount, a 30% HMO target will result in an absolute minimum of 44, but more likely to be closer to 55, transient adult residents. There are currently 60 long-term adults living in the street. To say 30% is a balanced and acceptable percentage is completely wrong.”

CRAM has not had a response from Council to an email it sent in February asking about the required amendments requested by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI/Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) [to the Local Development Plan (LDP)].

It was “concerned about the lack of resident involvement in this decision and believed amendments to the wording of the LDP to be of “public interest”.

“The LDP will have a profound impact on the city. It must be informed by the opinions of its residents. We are legally entitled to have a say in what is proposed as per the Statement of Community Involvement,” said CRAM.

“Our research would also suggest [the LDP] has been informed by out-dated and inaccurate information that has been discredited or discounted in other council areas,” it added.

“For example, reliance on a 17-year-old HMO Subject Plan for Belfast dated 2008 is not acceptable, particularly as this plan was unsuccessful and has since been changed. Belfast’s LDP now has a 20% cap to reflect this.

“There is no legal reason why Derry City and Strabane District Council had to look at other local council LDP’s when there is a raft of HMO policies available from across the UK.

“In addition, the methodology used to calculate the percentages of HMO numbers is deeply flawed and again distorts the accuracy of the statistics upon which the LDP plan is built.”

Council has indicated to CRAM it disagrees with it on the validity of the methodology.

However, CRAM said it offered no case to support that point of view.

“Saying you disagree, doesn’t make the methodology used correct,” said CRAM.

Following CRAM’s deputation to Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Governance and Strategic Planning Committee on April 1, , 2025, it was advised Council would “seek ways to address the problem”.

CRAM added: “What we received as a reply was a rehashed document originally written in 2021 that simply restated the planning department’s flawed development of the LDP plans.

“We do not believe there has been a meaningful attempt by the Council executive to find a solution to the problem. There are solutions and we believe that omitting to inform councillors of these options, is misleading.

“We also believe it is misleading to suggest that any amendment would result in a two-year delay to LDP adoption. On what is this based? The Department has powers to make directions to Council in respect of the LDP.

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“Given the flawed database presented for the HMO cap and the requirement that the LDP protects and reflects the interests of the residents of the Magee area who are directly affected by its implementation, the Department's further engagement would expedite the process and serve to assuage Councillors concerns about a two-year delay,” said CRAM.

Requesting an opportunity to address the issues at a full Council meeting before the adoption of the LDP, CRAM urged Derry City and Strabane District Council to “consider fully the impact of adopting the LDP that allows a 30% HMO threshold”.

The residents’ group added: “If it goes ahead without amendment, you will be responsible for allowing a flawed plan based on inaccurate information to become policy.

“This will have profound consequences for the city for years to come.

“The only ‘winners’ in that scenario are profiteering developers. A saturation of HMO development is not the answer to Derry’s housing needs.

“We cannot wait until the LPP ‘fixes’ the problem of HMO numbers. It will be too late. Insist on a 10% cap now.”