Following the detailed discussions regarding HMOs at our public meeting on 25th March, the Ruislip Residents’ Association (RRA) has received a formal technical update from one of Hillingdon Council’s Planning Enforcement Team Leaders.
While some of our Ward Councillors provided a helpful community overview at the AGM, this correspondence provides the specific legal grounds and the precise requirements of the formal Enforcement Notice now served on the property.
The Investigation Findings
Hillingdon Council has officially determined that an unauthorised material change of use has occurred at 29 Torrington Road. The property is currently in use as an HMO (Use Class C4) without the required planning permission.
A key factor in this case is the Article 4 Directive, which came into effect on 10th December 2025. The Council’s investigation—supported by site inspections in November and evidence provided by local residents—suggests that, on the balance of probabilities, the HMO use did not commence until January 2026. Therefore, the property does not benefit from previous “Permitted Development” rights.
Reasons for Enforcement
The Council has deemed the unauthorised use unacceptable due to several “harmful impacts” on the neighbourhood:
- Loss of Family Housing: The conversion resulted in the loss of a 3-bedroom family home.
- Over-intensification: The use is considered too intensive for the site and the surrounding area.
- Sub-standard Accommodation: The layout fails to provide adequate shared internal amenity space or usable external space.
- Public Safety: The Council cited a lack of provision for off-road parking and accessible cycle storage as detrimental to pedestrian and highway safety.
Requirements of the Enforcement Notice
The formal Notice is due to come into effect on 7th May 2026. Following that date, the owner has a 6-month compliance period to carry out the following:
- Cease the HMO use and reinstate the property as a single household residential dwelling (Class C3).
- Remove all internal partitions, walls, and doors installed to facilitate the HMO.
- Remove the secondary kitchen, ensuring only one remains for a single household.
- Remove all kitchenettes, sinks, and cupboards from within the six individual bedrooms.
- Demolish the single-storey rear extension, which facilitated the HMO and was found to block access to the garden for four of the occupants.
Clarification on the Roof and Civil Matters
To provide further clarity on issues raised by residents at the AGM, the Enforcement Team has noted the following:
- The Roof Conversion: This was assessed as being within the limitations of Permitted Development. As it does not constitute a breach of planning control, it cannot be included in the Enforcement Notice.
- Boundary and Party Wall Issues: The Council has clarified that matters of encroachment are civil matters. While these were a point of concern at the meeting, the Planning Department is unable to intervene in these private legal disputes.
The Appeal Process
The owner maintains the right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate until 7th May 2026. Should an appeal be lodged, the Enforcement Notice is held in “abeyance” (suspended) until a Planning Inspector issues a decision.
The Council has committed to providing a robust response against any appeal. Residents are reminded that the national average for such appeals is currently 63-72 weeks. If an appeal proceeds, the community will have the opportunity to provide third-party comments for the Inspector’s consideration.
The RRA will continue to share updates as soon as further information regarding the status of any appeal becomes available.
Our next public meeting will be at 19:45 on Tuesday 6th October at Winston Churchill Hall.
We have the draft minutes of the 2026 RRA AGM at the bottom of this page.
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