Plans to convert two former guest houses and a disused hotel in Bridlington into houses of multiple occupation have been approved.
East Riding Council’s Eastern Area Planning Sub-Committee approved plans to convert the guest houses in Vernon Road and Windsor Crescent and the hotel in Princess Street.
Applicant Paul Morrison, of UK Communiiity Homes Ltd, told councillors the plans would help meet the rising demand for affordable housing in the town amid shortages.
10 objections were lodged against plans for Windsor Crescent’s Acomb House, with a neighbouring holiday accommodation owner claiming they could fuel crime and disorder and disturb his guests.
The plans are set to see Vernon Villa, Vernon Road turned into a nine-bed HMO with one self-contained flat and seven rooms put in Acomb House.
Brentwood House Hotel, in Princess Street, is set to become a 10-bed HMO.
Each of the rooms in the properties would have an en suite along with access to shared kitchens and dining areas.
Council planning officers recommended that all three plans be approved, concluding there was no evidence they would have a negative effect.
But Bridlington Town Council objected along with others including the neighbouring guest house owner, claiming the concentration of HMOs raised serious concerns.
Mr Morrison told councillors prospective tenants would be interviewed and they would be aimed at people working in the town including in pubs and other hospitality businesses.
He added that despite concerns about the amount of HMOs in Bridlington, the town’s total was below average for an area of its kind.
The applicant said:
“I’m putting £700,000 back into tired, rundown and in some cases derelict properties to regenerate the local housing market.
“These are particularly high in demand in Bridlington where there is a disproportionate amount of guest houses and holiday rentals.
“Complaints tend to come from examples of badly-managed HMOs, but HMOs don’t insist on housing ex-offenders, substance abuse victims and the like.
“There is a huge demand for affordable housing from working class, employed residents in Bridlington such as taxi drivers and people who work in local pubs.
“I’m not spending £700,000 just for someone to come in and ruin these.”
But Permjit Bar, whose guest house is next door to the HMO proposed in Windsor Crescent, said there was no guarantee of good behaviour from future tenants.
The guest house owner said:
“My fear and worry is that we will be confronted with poor attitudes and low level aggression.
“This fear is based on experience, in the past there have been incidents of aggression on the street, drug taking in the alleyway and drug dealing.
“We have been kept awake in our guest house by loud music, the experience was demoralising.
“How will our guests feel if they are faced with this?
“What about us, who will be faced with the fallout?”
Committee member Cllr Thomas Robson, of the nearby Bridlington North ward, said they should not judge the application based on who may or may not live there.
The councillor said:
“I see the logic to this but I also see the drawbacks, every month we hear of the police raiding another property in Bridlington because of drug dealing.
“But I lived in HMOs for many years in London and we’ve recently approved some in Goole.
“On balance I don’t think there’s any good reason to refuse this.”
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