Ipswich streets with the most licensed HMOs revealed

Two Ipswich roads share the title of having the highest number of licensed HMOs in the town, according to the latest council data.

An analysis of Ipswich Borough Council's August 2026 HMO register found 234 licensed properties spread across dozens of streets.

The data shows a handful of roads account for a significant proportion of the town's shared accommodation.

HMOs are properties occupied by people from more than one household who share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms. Properties housing five or more occupants from different households must be licensed by the council.

The council's own review of HMO policies found there were 225 licensed HMOs in the borough in January 2026, up from 202 when its Article 4 Direction came into force in June 2024. However, the authority said part of that increase reflected previously unlicensed properties being brought into the licensing system.

Grove Lane - 16 licensed HMOs

Grove Lane was joint top of the list with 16 HMOs (Image: Google Maps)

Grove Lane tops the list jointly with Burrell Road, with 16 licensed HMOs recorded on the council register. Properties are spread along much of the road, making it one of the town's most concentrated HMO hotspots.

Burrell Road - 16 licensed HMOs

Burrell Road is the joint top with Grove Lane (Image: Google Maps)

Also recording 16 licensed HMOs is Burrell Road in west Ipswich. The register shows properties ranging from single terraced houses to larger shared accommodation, with several licences allowing for high numbers of occupants.

Foxhall Road - 15 licensed HMOs

Foxhall Road has 15 licensed HMOs (Image: Google Maps)

Foxhall Road ranks third with 15 licensed HMOs. As one of Ipswich's longest roads, the licensed properties are dispersed across a wide area rather than concentrated in a single cluster.

Woodbridge Road - 12 licensed HMOs

Woodbridge Road ranked next with 12 HMOs (Image: Google Maps)

Woodbridge Road is fourth on the list, with 12 licensed HMOs. The road contains a mix of traditional shared houses and larger licensed properties, reflecting its popularity as a residential route close to the town centre.

London Road - 11 licensed HMOs

London Road has 11 licensed HMOs (Image: Newsquest)

London Road is tied for fifth place with 11 licensed HMOs. The figure includes properties operating from former guest house and hotel buildings which have since been licensed for multiple occupation.

Norwich Road - 11 licensed HMOs

Norwich Road had 11 licensed HMOs (Image: Google Maps)

Also recording 11 licensed HMOs is Norwich Road. Several of the licensed properties are among the larger shared accommodation sites included in the register.

St Helens Street - 11 licensed HMOs

St Helens Street also had 11 licensed HMOs (Image: Google Maps)

Completing the list is St Helens Street, which likewise contains 11 licensed HMOs. Unlike some of the longer roads in the ranking, many of these properties are located relatively close together.

What the council says

Ipswich Borough Council's March 2026 review concluded there was no evidence that its Article 4 Direction had led to significant new concentrations of HMOs developing elsewhere in the town. Existing clusters were found to have remained broadly stable, while planning applications continued to be assessed individually.

Since the policy came into force, the council recorded 37 HMO-related planning decisions, comprising 12 approvals, 13 refusals and 12 certificates confirming lawful use.

Collectively, the seven roads at the top of the ranking account for 92 licensed HMOs, meaning almost two in every five properties on the town's HMO register are located on those streets.