Neil Johnson applied for consent to change the use of the two-bedroom terrace property on Bridge Street, off Yarm High Street, to a short-term holiday let. The retrospective application has been approved by Stockton Council.
The council’s report says: “The property is being used as a short term holiday let therefore planning permission is being sought to regularise this use… Planning permission is required in situations whereby using the property as a short-term let amounts to a ‘material change of use’.
“In this case, the property is being marketed and available for guest use on a full-time basis, which would result in a number of different guests occupying the property, year-round, not on occasional use with no intended use as to that of a typical residential dwelling.
“In terms of acceptability, the proposed location is within the centre of Yarm… with immediate access to services and facilities and is therefore deemed a sustainable location in terms of directing tourism accommodation to suitable locations within the borough. The proposal albeit of limited scale would help boost the tourism economy and bring about benefits from tourism expenditure in the locale.”
There were no objections from the council’s highways or environmental health officers, and no comments from neighbours who were notified of the plan. Council planners said there were no alterations proposed to the grade-II listed building in a conservation area.
They said the nature of such a development could have an impact on the area. But they found the holiday let had not had a harmful effect.
They wrote: “In this case, whilst the property itself is within a residential area, it is however located close to the commercial hub of the town centre.
“The proposed use is still that of a residential nature in that occupants would reside at the property, albeit it on a temporary basis, however, it is considered that the change of use to that of a short term holiday let has not adversely impacted on the character of the property or wider area.
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“Whilst no objections have been raised to the development, it is acknowledged that transient occupants would likely act differently to those permanently residing in a dwelling, in that they are more likely to consume alcohol, utilise outdoor spaces and generally produce more noise and disturbance.
“It is recognised that the property is flanked by residential dwellings either side therefore any increase in noise and disturbance could impact on their residential amenity.
“That said, the property is of a modest scale with only two bedrooms and is therefore only suitable for couples and small families, not large groups which could be attributed to excessive noise and disturbance to local residents.”