Planning Statement Proposed Change of Use of the Main House From B&B to Residential and Retention of Outhouse as an Incidental Self-contained ...
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Planning Statement
Proposed Change of Use of the Main House
From B&B to Residential and Retention of Outhouse as an
Incidental Self-contained Holiday Unit
Mimosa Lodge B&B,
59 Baring Road, Cowes
Submission v1
Prepared by:
PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
143 Staplers Road Newport Isle of Wight PO30 2DJ
Tel 01983 559391 Mob 075050 18042
phil@psplanning.co.uk www.philsalmonplanning.co.uk
January 2021
Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
1. Introduction
1.1 This statement has been prepared in support of a planning application to the Isle
of Wight Council, for the change of use of the Mimosa Lodge guest house at 59
Baring Road, Cowes, to a residential property. It is also proposed to retain a
converted outhouse as a self-contained holiday unit to be operated as an ancillary
use to the main property.
1.2 This planning application is submitted following a positive pre-application meeting
with planning officers who recognise the merits of the proposals, and the
extremely limited opportunity to sell the property with a B&B use. Having only
been changed to a B&B in 2013 (by the current owners and applicants), this
current use is not ‘established’ through a significant passage of time. The primary
use of the property has long been residential. The pre-application discussion
confirmed the following key points:
• The change of use of the Main house from B&B back to residential is
supported in principle, given the location of the site and housing need;
• The retention of the garden lodge for holiday use occupation, as an ancillary
use to the main house, carries positive weight in the determination of this
application;
• Change of Use would not prevent any future owner from continuing to run a
B&B business;
• Evidence needs to be submitted in support of a planning application that
demonstrates that sales marketing of the property as a B&B has no
generated genuine interest.
2. Background
Guest House Use
2.1 Mimosa lodge was established as a B&B guest house through a change of use
planning permission granted in January 2013. The current owners of the property
acquired it in 2012 and secured permission for the guest house use in the same
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Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
year (P/01800/12). The guest house has operated successfully as a quality
accommodation facility, providing three bedrooms in the main house with an
additional single self-contained unit in the grounds.
2.2 Over recent years, the guest house business has been impacted from the change
in holiday trends such as the growth in very short term stays, competition from
budget national branded hotel chains, the exponential growth and expansion of
self-catering accommodation, and finally the take up of ‘Airbnb’ holiday lets. In
particular, the unregulated Airbnb is one that has had a dramatic impact on the hotel
market and a reduction in demand for quality residential rooming.
2.3 The current owners of the guest house wish to sell the property as they move on
to retirement. They can only do so if the property has a residential value. Potential
purchasers of guest houses cannot secure funds given that banks and funders are
not lending on holiday uses. As such, they need to sell the property with an
authorised residential use.
Covid19 Pandemic
2.4 The year 2020 has been a total disaster for the holiday industry. It has specifically
affected guest house businesses in the following ways:
• Covid19 has prevented visitor travel for a significant part of the holiday
season. Visitor stays have been very limited.
• Coach holiday firms have collapsed nationally, the most notable example
being Specialist Leisure Group (SLG), the owners of National Holidays
Shearings, with the loss of 2,460 jobs and many more holiday
cancellations. The closure will impact nationally as well as on the Isle of
Wight. Many coaching hotels will need to look at their business models,
many of which now will be unsustainable in their current form.
• Travel companies have moved to make staff redundant rather than enter
the government’s furlough scheme. This has resulted in a much slower
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Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
recovery in the tourism market as firms will need to recruit new staff to
take up demand;
• Economic predictions strongly suggest a very changed visitor industry
that will emerge from the Covid pandemic. With such predictions,
business owners will not borrow funds, at whatever slow rates are being
offered by government, when there is no certainty of a visitor industry
recovery.
B&B Property for Sale
2.5 The property has been marketed for sale by Waterside Isle of Wight since October
2020. The property is being marketed as a guest house, but evidence suggests
that lenders will not provide mortgages or business loans on this use alone. To
enable it to be taken forward, lenders and marketing agents recommend securing
the change of use (for the main house at least) back to residential to generate real
property value. In this way, potential investors would be able to secure loans,
based on a residential value, but could thereby continue to operate the B&B if they
so wished.
2.6 A statement from Waterside Isle of Wight is attached as an appendix to this
statement. It confirms the period of marketing and advices on the current and
likely future ‘non’ interest in the property as a B&B use in the main house.
2.7 Marketing the business and property purely as a guest house at the current time
has not raised any interest for the B&B use. Neither is it likely to generate any
future interest. Banks and lending bodies are not investing in holiday uses, hotels
or guest houses.
2.8 The owners have to consider how their property can be put to good, sustainable
and efficient use that provides a quality residential resource. They also need to
consider how they can move into retirement.
4Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
2.9 The proposed change of use would maintain a holiday occupancy element with
the retention of the converted outhouse as a self-contained holiday unit. This
enables business continuity, albeit at a reduced scale.
3. Characteristics of the site and Location
3.1 Mimosa Lodge sits within a predominantly residential area in the approaches to
Cowes. The main building dates from the mid-Victorian period. It consists of a large
three storey pitched roof building with the main front door facing southwards
onto Baring Road. The property sits within extensive grounds, which
accommodate a separate lodge that provides separate additional self-catering
accommodation. Vehicular access is provided by a drive onto Baring Road on the
eastern side of the site.
3.2 The main house accommodates 4 bedrooms, three of which are offered as B&B
accommodation.
3.3 The property includes sufficient space for the on-site parking of five cars.
3.4 The guest house is located within the settlement boundary for Cowes and local
town centre uses are easily accessible.
5Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
Site Cowes
Seafront
Bus stops
Cowes
Academy
Town Centre
Parking
Lodge
Main House
Drive
Baring Road
Site Location and Position (Aerial Views from Google Earth)
6Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
4. Pre-application Proposals
4.1 The current pre-application proposal is for the main house to revert back to being a large
single dwelling. The lodge would be retained as a self-contained holiday unit to be
operated as an ancillary use to the main house.
4.2 This will enable the property to be marketed seeking genuine interest from those who
are able to secure finance based on open market value. Currently, banks and lending
organisation are not releasing funds against holiday accommodation or hotels. Any new
purchasers will then have the options of continuing the guest house operations or
implementing the change of use.
4.3 The premises can revert to a single residential property without alteration.
5. Planning Policy Context for the Determination of Development Proposals
5.1 The site is located within the settlement boundary of Cowes, and the Key Regeneration
Area for the Medina Valley.
site
Town Centre
Taken from the Island Plan Core Strategy Proposals Plan (2012)
7Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
5.2 The NPPF is a material consideration in planning decisions. It states that proposed
development that accords with an up-to-date development plan should be approved
without delay. At the heart of the NPPF, is the presumption in favour of sustainable
development. It states that the achievement of sustainable development includes three,
mutually dependant elements, namely; economic, social, and environmental. All three
of these are pertinent to this application and the provision of units to meet local housing
need in a sustainable location.
The Island Plan Core Strategy (March 2012)
5.3 There are a number of key policies in the Island Plan Core Strategy that are relevant in
the consideration of the case for this proposal. These are as follows:
• SP1 Spatial Strategy – this sets the Council’s main objective which supports
development of appropriate land within and immediately adjacent to
settlement boundaries of the Key Regeneration Areas, smaller regeneration
areas and rural service centres. It prioritises the redevelopment of previously
developed land where available. (This policy has recently been deemed to be
out of date by recent appeal inspectors as the Council can longer demonstrate
a five-year land supply for housing, whilst it is inconsistent with the current
National Planning Policy Framework in terms of determining development
proposals outside of settlements)
• Policy SP2 Housing – this sets out the requirement for housing covering the
plan period 2011 to 2027. 8,370 dwellings are expected to be provided. 980
dwellings are expected to be provided through small-scale development at
rural service centres wider rural area.
• Policy AAP1 the Medina Valley – this sets an objective for the Key Regeneration
Area based on a focus for residential and economic growth.
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Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
• Policy SP7 Travel - this sets out the requirement proposals to seek to provide
alternative means of travel to the car where possible.
• Policy DM2 Design Quality for New Development – this states that the Council
will support proposals for high quality and inclusive design to protect, conserve
and enhance the existing environment whilst allowing change to take place.
• Policy DM3 Balanced mix of housing – this states that the Council will support
development proposals that provide an appropriate mix of housing types and
size, in all new development, in order to create inclusive and sustainable
communities. Proposals will be expected to reflect up-to-date strategic
housing market assessments, contribute to meeting the identified housing
need for local areas, and contribute to meeting specialist housing
requirements.
• Policy DM 17 sustainable transport - the Council will expect proposals to
comply with strategic objectives promoting alternative means of travel to the
car.
6. Development and Design Opportunities
Planning Policy and Meeting Housing Need
6.1 The location of the site within the settlement boundary offers an important opportunity
to promote a sustainable residential scheme in an existing building, given strategic
planning policy set out in the Island Plan.
6.2 The dwelling proposed would count towards housing need provision for the Island.
6.3 The Isle of Wight Council has reviewed its Housing Need Assessment (Final Report dated
April 2018), published in July 2018. The published report commissioned by the Isle of
Wight Council and prepared by GL Hearn, is an update to the previous strategic housing
9Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
market assessment, published in 2014, and has concluded that there is an annual
requirement for 641 additional dwellings per year on the Island. This is an increase of
116 dwellings per year from the 125 units per year figure currently planned for.
6.4 The application falls within the Medina Valley west submarket area as defined in the
Housing Need Assessment 2018.
Taken from Housing Needs Assessment 2018
6.4 The Housing Needs Assessment 2018 identifies that the area is in need of a total of
143 homes per year until 2036. That is a total of 2,566 homes.
10Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
6.5 The only conclusion that can reasonably be drawn from the outcome of the objectively
assessed housing needs work published in the Housing Needs Assessment 2018, is that
the Isle of Wight housing need is far greater than is currently being planned for in the
Island Plan Core Strategy.
6.6 The Isle of Wight Council has subsequently confirmed that it cannot now demonstrate
a 5-year land supply for housing. This is set out in a document entitled 5- year Land
Supply April 2018, published in December 2018 in support of the draft Island Planning
Strategy published at that time. Paragraph 7.18 of that document is relevant and states
at the Isle of Wight Council cannot demonstrate the 5-year supply of land for housing.
6.7 Given that the local planning authority accepts a deficiency in the supply of land for
housing, this means that the current Island Plan Core Strategy is out of date. Planning
Appeal Inspectors have confirmed this (Aldermoor Farm, Ryde appeal decision
February 2020). The Council can no longer confirm how housing targets are to be met,
whilst there are no sites allocated for housing, other than those indicated to be
allocated in the draft Island Planning Strategy. The National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF) states that in the event of there being no up to date plan, even
greater weight should be afforded to the NPPF itself and permission should be granted
unless any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably
outweigh the benefits of the development.
6.8 A published Housing Delivery Test report, issued by the Government in February 2020
shows that over the past three years, the Isle of wight has delivered only 61% of its
actual housing need. All other authorities in Hampshire are delivering a minimum of
100% including Southampton, delivering 146% and Portsmouth delivering 116%. The
result of this is that there is a growing sector of the population that cannot move into
the right accommodation to meet household requirements. Planning decisions need to
be taken that enable housing needs to be meet, and in particular, within sustainable
locations.
11Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
6.9 On 16 December 2020, the Government issued updated guidance on Housing and
Economic Needs Assessment. The method required now by all local planning authorities
results in a housing need for the Island for 688 dwellings per year. This is significant and
places even greater emphasis on the importance of granting permissions for new
dwellings in sustainable locations.
7. Planning Considerations and Merits
7.1 Principle of the change of use in this Location
• The application site, being within the Cowes settlement boundary, is
considered to be in a highly sustainable location. It is close to local facilities
including shops, leisure facilities, open parkland, and public transport whilst
both primary and secondary schools are accessible.
• The application site is already developed. Whilst the current proposal would
result in an additional residential property, it represents an effective and
efficient use of space.
• It is considered that the site meets the objectives and requirements of the
primary strategic policy, SP1- Spatial Strategy, of the Island Plan Core
Strategy.
7.2 Loss of Hotel /Holiday Use
• The hotel market is at a crunch point for the Island. The covid-19 pandemic
and the measures to lockdown the population has had a disastrous impact
on holiday businesses. There is no guarantee that the business will be viable
in the near future. Nevertheless, it is understood that the local planning
authority would wish to see some sort of holiday use retained on site.
• The proposals include the retention of the self-contained lodge that would
continue to offer holiday accommodation. The local planning authority
would be able to ensure that the lodge is used only for visitor / holiday use
by planning condition.
• The change of use proposal for the main house would not necessarily see
the loss of the guest house business, but will enable the property to be sold
12Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
at residential value (thereby enabling an investor to secure borrowed
funding).
• Market evidence presented in this application, supplied by Waterside Isle of
Wight, confirms the continued uncertainty in the hotel / guest house sales
market for the foreseeable future. The only achievable way for business
owners to move is to allow the change of use , thereby tapping into bank
loan resources to enable investment. This offers future owners the
opportunity to continue with a B&B business should they wish to do so.
8. Conclusion
8.1 The application proposals represent an effective and sustainable means by which to
deliver much needed housing. The case to allow change of use has been adequately
made. The application proposals comply with policies as set out in the Island Plan Core
Strategy both in terms of justifying need and allowing the change of use from holiday
use. Moreover, the proposals proactively retain a holiday use element on site.
8.2 It is requested therefore that officers consider this application, based on material
planning considerations, that tip the balance in favour of approval.
PS January 2021
13Planning Statement: Change of Use to Residential PhilSalmonPlanning Ltd
Mimosa Lodge Guest House Cowes
Waterside Isle of Wight
The Old Post Office
73 High Street
Cowes
PO31 7AJ
5 January 2021
Mrs Hayley Byrne
Senior Planning Officer
Planning Services
Isle of Wight Council
Dear Hayley
MIMOSA LODGE 59 BARING ROAD COWES
We at Waterside Isle of Wight were instructed to market Mimosa Lodge for sale by Mr and Mrs
Paul and the property was marketed from 10th October 2020. During the time it has been
offered for sale, we have had a few enquiries, all from people that would use Mimosa Lodge
as their primary residence, and absolutely no-one has enquired or interested in running it as a
Bed and Breakfast boutique hotel as it is currently. Should the planning permission to revert
it back to a residence be refused this would have a very detrimental effect on its value due to
the current pandemic and commercial mortgages being extremely problematic to acquire.
We have negotiated a sale for Mr and Mrs Paul to a couple that will live there permanently and
would like to complete contracts and conclude the sale by the end of March 2021 at the very
latest, with the proviso that it is once again classed as a residence not a commercial business.
Anything you can do to help to expedite matters would be truly appreciated.
Best Regards
Georgie
Georgia McCarthy
Director Waterside Isle of Wight Ltd
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