The application for a certificate of lawful use comes from Keys to Independence, a community interest company (CIC) that aims to ‘break the cycle of homelessness’ by providing low-level assistance to at-risk individuals. The plans would involve the loss of some communal space to make way for four bedrooms (Image: Hyndburn Council)Typically, applications for a house to be used by four unrelated individuals would require a change of use from a Class C3 residential home to a Class C4, or a house in multiple occupation (HMO). This is important as, under rules implemented by Hyndburn Council with an Article 4 directive to limit the spread of Class C4 HMOs, a Class C3(b) use would not require a full planning application. No external alterations will need to be made to support this purpose. But internally, the new purpose would involve the loss of a ground floor living room and two first floor bathrooms, in order to create the four bedrooms.