Eastbourne council bid to create holiday lets

On Monday (November 13), Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning committee is due to consider a change of use application connected with five council-owned flats within the Victoria Mansions building in Terminus Road.

The application, which comes from the council itself, seeks permission to begin using the flats as holiday accommodation following a recent refurbishment of the properties.

While the change would result in a loss of housing (at a time when the council faces significant pressures in this area), planning officers say the change of use would not go against policy in this case.

In a report to the committee, a council planning spokesman said: “The flats are located within the primary Tourist Accommodation Area and additional tourist accommodation in this area is supported by policy D3.

“It is considered that the change of use from C3 residential units to C1 holiday lets, within a sustainable location and primary Tourist Accommodation [Area] would benefit the tourism sector through the provision of additional accommodation in the sustainable centre whilst resulting in improved quality of residential accommodation for the retained units.

“The provision of the holiday lets would complement the tourism offer currently provided and this weighs heavily in favour of the proposal when set against other policy considerations in the Development Plan.

“The proposal is thus considered to accord with the relevant local and national planning policies and is thus recommended for approval subject to conditions.”

The report goes on to say the change of use would not have an impact on neighbours, as the new use would not be ‘significantly different’ from what came before. No objections had been raised at time of publication.

The report also notes how the flats had been of a “poor and dilapidated standard” prior to the refurbishment.

For further information see application reference 230087 on the Eastbourne Borough Council website.