Somerset Council has turned down an application by the owners of a former Burnham-On-Sea care home to turn it into a new 37-bedroom HMO (home in multiple occupation).
Almo Holdings Ltd applied in January to convert the former Hillview Nursing Home in Burnham’s Berrow Road into residential accomodation for multiple people.
The developer proposed that the building’s 37 rooms be converted into studio bedrooms ranging from nine to 21 square-metres in size.
After considering feedback on the application, Somerset Council refused the plans on April 19th, concluding that the plans are not acceptable.
Somerset Council’s planning officer says the conversion would result in an ‘unacceptable increase of noise, activity and disruption to the detriment of the amenities of neighbouring occupiers’, and does not comply with policy D25 of the Sedgemoor Local Plan 2011-2032.
The planning officer also states that the building’s ‘private external amenity space’ was not of adequate size for its proposed 37 occupants.
Thirdly, the officer also added that the parking facilities of just ten spaces would not provide adequate space for vehicles and could lead to ‘vehicles reversing onto or manoeuvring on the highway, with consequent risk of additional hazard to all users of the road’.
The judgement comes after a Planning Committee Meeting on Wednesday January 31st, Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge Town Councillors voted to oppose the plans.
The Town Council flagged up its concerns over insufficient parking, overdevelopment and overcrowding, the plans being out of keeping, insufficient waste storage space, plus noise and disturbance.
The proposals also include a mixture of different communal spaces, including two ‘hot desk workspaces’ on the ground floor, along with a large communal lounge and a separate dining area.
More information on the plans to convert the property into an HMO is online, ref number 11/23/00128, on the Somerset Council planning website.
Burnham-On-Sea.com reported in 2022 that Hillview Nursing Home had closed down following enforcement action from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The applicant is likely to submit an appeal over the decision.
