Withington HMO Planning Patterns (2024–2026)

Withington Application Outcomes

Twenty HMO planning applications were submitted in Withington between 2024 and 2026. Twelve were approved, six were refused, and two were withdrawn prior to determination.

Withington processed the highest application volume of the three study wards (20 submissions) and recorded a 64.7% approval rate — between Old Moat’s 85.7% (12/14) and Fallowfield’s 61.5% (8/13).

Data Scope

This analysis examines 20 HMO planning applications submitted in Withington between 2024 and 2026, representing 42.6% of the total South Manchester dataset (20 out of 45 applications).

Of 45 applications submitted across the full dataset, 43 were formally determined and 2 were withdrawn prior to decision. Approval and refusal rates are calculated against determined applications (n=43) unless otherwise stated. Both dataset withdrawals occurred in Withington — one Full Application (144714/FO/2025) and one Certificate application. Neither property resubmitted within the dataset timeframe.

This article focuses specifically on Withington’s approval patterns: the Certificate versus Full Application outcome divide, H11 citation frequency, and the single approved Full Application recorded across all three wards in this dataset.

Application Type Outcomes

Certificate Applications: 68.8% Approval

Certificate applications in Withington achieved the lowest ward-specific Certificate approval rate in the dataset. This compares to 92.3% in Old Moat (12/13) and 80.0% in Fallowfield (8/10). All five Certificate refusals in Withington cited evidentiary insufficiency. None cited Policy H11, consistent with the dataset-wide pattern for Certificate refusals.

Full Applications: 50.0% Approval (Among Determined)

Withington is the only ward in this dataset to record an approved Full Application. The approved application (143315/FO/2025, 8 Beech Grove) represents the only Full Application approval across all 45 applications in the dataset. The refused Full Application cited Policy H11.

The Only Approved Full Application in the Dataset

H11 Citation Pattern

Withington recorded the lowest H11 citation rate of the three wards. The single H11 citation occurred in the refused Full Application (37 Parsonage Road). All five Certificate refusals cited evidentiary insufficiency only.

Refusal Language

Certificate Refusals

All five Certificate refusals in Withington followed standard evidentiary insufficiency wording:

“The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the property has been occupied as a house in multiple occupation for a continual 10-year period up to the date of the application.”

No density assessment. No H11 citation. Consistent with the dataset-wide pattern for Certificate refusals (0 H11 citations across 8 Certificate refusals).

Full Application Refusal (142135/FO/2025 — 37 Parsonage Road)

“The proposed conversion to the existing House in Multiple Occupation would result in an over intensive use of the property leading to an increase in the levels of comings and goings to and from the site with attendant issues of noise and disturbance, parking demand and waste generation, to the detriment of the amenity of neighbouring residential occupiers. The proposal is therefore contrary to policies H11, DM1 and SP1 of the Manchester Core Strategy.”

H11 cited. Over-intensive use language consistent with Full Application refusals dataset-wide.

Within-Ward Variation

Comparison With Other Wards

Metric	Old Moat	Withington	Fallowfield
Overall approval rate	85.7% (12/14)	64.7% (11/17)	61.5% (8/13)
Certificate approval rate	92.3% (12/13)	68.8% (11/16)	80.0% (8/10)
Full Application approval rate	0.0% (0/1)	50.0% (1/2)	0.0% (0/3)
H11 citation rate in refusals	50.0% (1/2)	16.7% (1/6)	60.0% (3/5)

Withington recorded the lowest H11 citation rate and the only Full Application approval. It also recorded the lowest Certificate approval rate (68.8%) and the highest application volume (20 submissions).

Certificate Approval Rate

Withington’s Certificate approval rate (68.8%, 11/16) represents the lowest of the three wards. All five Certificate refusals cited evidentiary insufficiency. The dataset does not record the factors underlying the ward-level Certificate approval rate variation between Withington (68.8%), Fallowfield (80.0%), and Old Moat (92.3%).

Withdrawal Observations

Both withdrawals in the full dataset occurred in Withington (2/20 = 10.0% of Withington submissions). One was a Full Application (144714/FO/2025), one was a Certificate application. Neither property resubmitted within the dataset timeframe. The dataset does not record the reasons for withdrawal in either case.

Conclusion

Withington recorded a 64.7% overall approval rate (11/17 determined) — between Old Moat (85.7%) and Fallowfield (61.5%).

Certificate applications achieved 68.8% approval (11/16 determined) — the lowest ward-specific Certificate rate in the dataset. All five Certificate refusals cited evidentiary insufficiency. None cited Policy H11.

Of 2 determined Full Applications, 1 was approved (8 Beech Grove, 143315/FO/2025) and 1 was refused (37 Parsonage Road, 142135/FO/2025, citing H11). The approved application is the only Full Application approval across all three wards in this dataset. It was determined in 134 days.

H11 was cited in 16.7% of Withington refusals (1/6) — the lowest citation rate among the three wards.

Both dataset withdrawals occurred in Withington. The dataset does not record the reasons for either withdrawal.

Street-level HMO concentration appeared more closely aligned with refusal reasoning than ward-level designation, as evidenced by the divergent outcomes at 8 Beech Grove and 37 Parsonage Road within the same ward.

---