Councillors asked to approve 13-bed HMO plan in Scarborough South Bay despite dozens of objections

More than 30 residents have objected to the conversion of a former bed and breakfast into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) at 7 Blands Cliff, Scarborough, but councillors have been recommended to approve the plan.

North Yorkshire Council’s Scarborough and Whitby Area Planning Committee is set to decide on Ayobami Akeju’s proposal at a meeting on Thursday, December 12.

Residents of a neighbouring property, Shirley Sheppard and Antony Fenter, said: “In our mind, this is not an application for an HMO, but for an HMD – a House of Multiple Deprivation.

“It is unsuitable for future occupants, for this neighbourhood, for tourism, and for this town’s future – all of which deserve better than this!”

The planning authority initially raised various concerns about residential amenity, waste management, and ensuring well-managed and maintained premises.

But after the number of bedrooms was reduced from 14 and the applicant provided a management plan and assurances, officers said the scheme could be approved.

Blands Cliff is a link road that connects the town centre at Newborough to South Bay Beach and is within the town’s conservation area.

According to a council report, the proposed rooms would have floor areas in excess of the minimum required floor area standards and the scheme would include three kitchens.

Whilst the applicant said the site was formerly a bed and breakfast, planning officers said they had seen no substantive evidence “to confirm the former use of the premises” and noted an absence of “any hotel or guest house paraphernalia”.

No objections to the conversion of the three-storey property were raised by the Highway Authority or the council’s housing service.

However, many of the 36 public objectors said they were concerned about a “negative impact upon residential amenity within the surrounding area in terms of noise, disturbance, and the number of comings and goings experienced from the site”.

A neighbouring resident, Ann Astbury, said: “It’s a lovely small area to live in and I think this new HMO just doesn’t fit in – it’s absolutely disgusting to cram people in like this, having to share kitchens, having no separate ones for themselves.”

However, planning officers said that “whilst the general consensus is that HMOs that are small in nature would be preferred, there is no strong planning reason why a well-managed HMO of a larger scale could not operate acceptably in the community”.

The council said it was “regrettable that the development would result in the loss of visitor accommodation within a prime tourist area” but also noted that use of the site for tourism “would not be financially viable”.

A report for councillors concluded: “Provided that the management plan is strictly adhered to, it is held that the proposal would have no detrimental impact on amenity.”

Members have been recommended to approve the application subject to various conditions at the public planning meeting in Scarborough Town Hall on Thursday, December 12.