Agenda item

Proposed change of use from redundant hotel into 12no. holiday flats and 16no. residential flats including demolition of 4no. garages at rear, alterations to remaining three garages to form secure cycle storage and refuse storage, together with the formation of parking spaces.  Removal of front sun lounge – DEVONSHIRE.

This application was reported to planning committee in June 2015 and recommended that planning permission be granted subject to the necessary parties signing a legal agreement covering the Local Employment Initiatives and a restriction on occupancy of the proposed open market units until the holiday let refurbishment had been implemented.

The S106 legal agreement was nearing completion however, additional representations had been received and the case was being reported back to planning committee so that Members were aware of the additional representations prior to a formal decision being issued.

The additional representations included one letter of objection relating to parking issues and a petition signed by 36 local residents objecting to the proposal on the lack of available on-street parking and how the lack of parking would impact on local residents. 

It was considered that the new information and representations received did not materially alter the conclusions drawn from the earlier reporting of this case and as such the same recommendation was offered to members to endorse and support.

The East Sussex County Highways Officer commented on the proposals stating that the existing use would require 56 spaces and the proposed change of use would require 32 spaces. The Highways Officers also stated that if the residential units were rented rather than privately owned the likely level of parking demand would be lower as occupants of rented flats had considerably lower levels of car ownership.  Further the level proposed was lower than the guidance suggested but the difference was smaller for the proposed use compared to what the current consented use could be. The Highways Officer appreciated that the hotel hadn’t been used for a while, however there would be some use in the future and it was unlikely that any development would be able to provide significant off street parking.  Parking spaces should be allocated to the residential units and on an unallocated basis. For the holiday lets it would be useful to submit a transport statement setting out how they advise future residents about the lack of parking on site and that a public car park was close by.

Mr Trigg addressed the committee in objection stating that there were too many flats in the proposed development and that this would cause additional pressure for residents wishing to park in the area.

Mr Aggwaral, applicant, addressed the committee in response stating that development would be an annex to the neighbouring business he currently ran and at present the site was attracting antisocial behaviour. 

RESOLVED:  (Unanimous) That permission be granted subject to a S106 legal agreement regarding local employment initiatives and the following condition: 1) transport statement

Informative:

The S106 should cover local employment initiatives, and controls over the timing of the delivery of the refurbishment of the hotel and guest house, the S106 should express that no more than five of the residential units hereby approved shall not be sold or occupied until such time as the retained hotel and guest house had been fully refurbished in accordance with conditions.