Verdict in on plans to use South Shore house as holiday accommodation

Plans to change the use of a two-storey terraced house in Blackpool’s South Shore into serviced holiday accommodation have been refused.

The owners applied to Blackpool Council for ‘change of use’ consent to allow them to rent out their second home on Bolton Street for holiday use.

The property has a lounge, dining area and kitchen at ground floor, a double bedroom, single bedroom and shower room at first floor, and a loft conversion providing an additional bedroom.

But the planning officer decided that the urgent housing needs of Blackpool outweighed the benefit of new holiday accommodation in a “mixed use” area of town, and setting a precedent for such applications would further exacerbate the issues.

In planning documents to support the bid, the owners stated: “We would like to apply for change of use for this property to be able to rent it out as a holiday let. “We have bought it as our second home to be used by ourselves and family, as well as it being an investment property.

“We have been advised that the house has been let as an Air BnB in the past. The property would be let as one complete unit, aimed at couples and families, with a group size of 4-6 people.

“There is a small courtyard garden which has gated access to Crystal Mews where it is possible to park one car. Other facilities nearby include a car park for shorter stays on Crystal Street and a longer stay car park to the south on Bolton Street. “

But a delegated report and recommendation from the planning officer stated: “The proposed change of use would result in the loss of an existing residential dwelling at a time when the Council cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing land, and is in a position of severe housing need.

“Given the highly urban nature of the borough, the identification of sufficient housing land is extremely challenging, making windfall provision an essential contributor to supply.

“The ad hoc loss of existing dwellings exacerbates this situation, and should only be supported where the detrimental impact on housing land supply is outweighed by other benefits.

“The application site is not in a safeguarded holiday accommodation area, and the use of this property as holiday accommodation would not substantively assist in delivering any of the aims and objectives of the Development Plan, including those relating to resort growth and regeneration.

“No other benefits have been identified that would outweigh the harm of housing loss.

“Whilst all proposals must be determined on their own merits, an approval in this instance would make it harder for the Council to resist similar proposals in similar circumstances, which cumulatively would more significantly exacerbate existing housing need.

“On this basis, the proposal represents an unjustified loss of housing.”