Article 4 Areas in the UK: A Comprehensive Guide
Last Updated: 25th July 2025 What is Article 4? In the UK, an Article 4 Direction is a legal measure or planning control that local authorities or councils can implement to limit the number of HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) in a specific area, or protect conservation areas. In areas without Article 4, property owners automatically have permitted development rights, allowing them to convert single homes or residential properties (C3 use class) into HMOs (C4 use class) without needing planning permission. Article 4 removes this right. As a landlord or property investor, understanding Article 4 and its restrictions is crucial, as it can determine whether an investment is successful or not. Whether you’re new to property investing or already own multiple rental properties, having a clear grasp of Article 4 is essential. Change of use directions are usually implemented to limit the number of HMOs in areas with a high concentration of them. By restricting the number of HMOs, local councils can manage further growth and prevent potential overcrowding. In other areas, Article 4 directions are enforced to preserve the quality and character of locations with historical or natural significance, such as conservation areas, national parks, and world heritage sites. Read our full article on Article 4 directions and why they are needed in our article What is Article 4? List of All Article 4 Areas in the UK There are a number of different cities and districts in the UK that have key Article 4 areas, which we have listed below based on current data from Town Planning Expert: Within this article, we have aimed to provide key data around the main Article 4 HMO areas in the UK, which we’ve linked to above. For all areas, however, we will provide links to specific council websites and maps where possible. For each different city, there are different rules and regulations regarding Article 4, and in some cases Article 4 doesn’t cover the entirety of a region but sections of a region that have been decided by the local councils. We recommend reading up on the Article 4 Directions that affect your specific area using the links provided above. Below, we’ve covered some key, popular areas for HMO investment the their corresponding Article 4 directions. Article 4 in Birmingham Birmingham City Council made a decision to introduce a city-wide Article 4 Direction, which came into force on Monday 8 June 2020. The changes come as a result of a Birmingham City Council report in 2019 stating that there were at least 6,000 HMOs across the city, many of which resulted in high levels of rubbish, over-parking and tenants that avoid being part of the local community. This means that across the entire city, a planning application must be submitted to convert family houses (C3 use class) to small HMOs (C4 use class). Birmingham Article 4 Map for HMOs There is some confusion online, as the Council also introduced an Article 4 Cancellation Direction for Selly Oak, Harborne and Edgbaston. However, this is because the new City Wide direction covers these areas, as they previously had Article 4 implemented before this change. Article 4 in Bristol Article 4 Directions affect some areas of Bristol, including both directions in place for conservation areas and those in place for HMOs. There is a lot of detail on the specific restriction in place on the Bristol Council website, which we recommend reading through, but the main affected areas include: The Bristol Council provides a map that shows the Article 4 Direction areas, and also provides a pinpoint online web mapping tool. Article 4 in Doncaster The City of Doncaster Council made the decision to introduce Article 4 for HMOs in 2019. This decision followed a large amount of data collection work that aimed to improve housing quality in the central wards of Doncaster. The Direction applies to land within the areas of: The map provided by Doncaster Council shows the Article 4 boundary area: Doncaster Article 4 Map for HMOs Article 4 in Leeds Leeds have implemented an Article 4 direction in certain areas of the city to improve the balance between single-family homes and HMOs. For instance, neighbourhoods like Headingley, Hyde Park, and Woodhouse have an excessive number of HMOs due to the large student population. This situation often forces families out of these neighbourhoods because of the lack of suitable housing. By requiring landlords and developers to obtain planning permission before converting single-dwelling homes HMOs, the Council aims to preserve more single-family residences in specific areas. As stated on the Leeds Government website, Article 4 affects the following areas: The Leeds Council also provide a map of their Article 4 direction plan, which we have included below: Leeds Article 4 Map for HMOs Article 4 in Leicester Article 4 Directions do not cover the entirety of Leicester, but Article 4 Directions have been introduced in some specific areas which could affect you if you are planning to invest in a property in Leicester. The first HMO Article 4 Direction came into force on 20 August 2014 and a later HMO Article 4 Direction covering a greater area of the city came into force on 17 February 2023. The council website states: Leicester City Council HMO Article 4 Direction 2021 shall apply to the following 3 areas:- The following areas covered by the Article 4 Direction made on 8th August 2013 remain unchanged by the Direction:- The map below illustrates the previous Article 4 areas, with the expanded areas of “West”, “East” and “South”: Leicester Article 4 Map for HMOs There are some additional Article 4 areas in Leicester to be aware of, specifically conservation areas, which also includes the following: We recommend taking a look at HMO Article 4 Direction & Addendum as this contains the full list of specific streets that are affected by the HMO Article 4 Direction. Article 4 in Liverpool Since 17th June 2021, an Article 4 directive has been in place in Liverpool restricting the conversion of single dwellings into HMOs. Importantly, this only applies to certain areas of the city.