PLANS to limit the conversion of homes into student accommodation in Winnall were approved by council chiefs.

It was agreed to impose an Article 4 direction on the area, which brings the change of use of a single dwelling to an HMO within the council's planning control.

The move will allow the councillors to assess the impact of a change of use.

Deputy leader Victoria Weston said: "We feel this is the right time to act as this trend will unbalance the local housing mix with the loss of family homes to HMOs looks likely to continue."

She added that they were acting before Winnall reached, "saturation point."

It is estimated that around 8 percent of properties in Winnall are HMOs and that this number is rising.

In her introduction to the cabinet paper, councillor Weston said: "A supply of HMOs is essential to the housing marking since they offer a relatively low-cost housing option to people willing and able to live within this form of property and assist to meeting housing need.

"HMOs can be important to meeting the housing need as a supply of family homes, particularly those which might be slightly more affordable than elsewhere in Winchester.

"We also recognise that a large number of good-sized family homes, many built by the Council but now in private ownership, are providing attractive acquisitions and conversions into HMOs and letting to students which offer reliable rental income and a good return on capital for landlords.

"Therefore the most acceptable route for all is a non-immediate Article 4 Direction that will be subject to extensive publicity before it is made."

She added that the proportion of HMOs in Badger Farm and Highcliffe would continue to be monitored, but that currently this was at a low level.

Councillor Nicki Elks said she had worked with members of the Winnall Forum and others in the community to get their views on HMOs.

"Almost no-one we spoke to expressed anger or resentment towards the tenants of HMOs, they all understood the housing market in the city very well. Almost all were keen to see Article 4 put in place. It is lack of control that concerns them most. The changes they spoke about were parking issues, the environment and the impact of changes to the fabric of their community," she said.

"Winnall has a strong community identity and a big complaint is that people don't know their neighbours anymore. We were also told that the tenants of HMOs have no 'loyalty' to the area."