Short-term let at Flat 2-2 85 Albert Road, Gourock

“Planning permission is sought for the use of the flat for short-term lets. It has been indicated that the lets would be available all year round. The applicant anticipates a typical stay duration of 1 week. There are no physical changes proposed as part of the application. Maximum capacity for guests is expected to be 4 persons. The applicant has stated that the property requires use of on street parking. No off-street parking is available.”

“The property is let via a management company, and maintenance and insurance are managed by a professional factor. Some neighbours and the property factor have been provided with contact details for emergencies. Cleaning will be undertaken by private contract.”

“The applicant property is a second-floor traditional tenement flat on Albert Road (A78), Gourock. The building includes four flatted dwellings (including the applicant property) which shares a communal street entrance from the first and second floors. Two further ground floor flats (83, 87) share the building and benefit from main door access from each property to Albert Road. All six properties share a communal rear garden area.”

“The application site is within the West Bay Gourock Conservation Area.”

“One consented short-term let is located at flat 2/1 85 Albert Road (25/0189/IC). This was as a result of an administrative error on the part of the applicant for this application (26/0044/IC). The address applied for under 25/1089/IC was not the applicant’s property. A short-term let licence application for flat 2/1 was received by the Council, however this was not progressed now processed.”

“Supplementary Guidance ‘Short Term Lets’ states that no more than 20% of properties within the block should be utilised for the purposes of short-term lets. It is a matter of interpretation how the density of the building use is calculated. There are effectively six flatted dwellings within the shared tenement although in an unconventional arrangement, the two ground floor properties have main front door entrances to the street and do not share the communal entrance of no.”

“The benefits of the proposed development are considered to outweigh any adverse impacts. The proposal is therefore considered to be acceptable when assessed against the relevant policies of National Planning Framework 4, the adopted Inverclyde Local Development Plan as well as the proposed Inverclyde Local Development Plan. There are no material considerations that outweigh the policies.”

“Inverclyde Council’s Roads and Transportation Service – Advise the following: developments with 2 bedrooms require 2 parking spaces. Should the proposal include further bedrooms than the existing arrangement, Roads and Transportation should be advised. If the number of bedrooms does not increase as a result of the proposal, then no additional parking is required to be provided in light of the proposed change of use.”

“The application was the subject of neighbour notification. Eight representations from six households were received, all objecting to the proposal. The grounds for objection are summarised as follows:”

“Lack of day-to-day maintenance • Anti-social behaviour from guests • Noise from occupants of the lets • Pricing conventional owners out of the housing market • Security issues from frequent occupancy changes • Detrimental to residential character of the area • Occupants not securing the property correctly • Waste accumulation and disposal • Wear and tear to the communal close • Availability of emergency contact • Health and wellbeing of residents with care needs and…”

“There was submitted a report by the Interim Director – Regeneration for a change of use from residential to short term let at Flat 2-2, 85 Albert Road, Greenock (26/0044/IC).”

“Decided: that planning permission be granted subject to the following condition:- 1. that the development to which this permission relates must be begun within 3 years of the date of this permission, to comply with Section 58 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended).”