Plans to convert Eastbourne student housing into flats

In an application to Eastbourne Borough Council, developers are seeking planning permission to convert a Victorian villa at the corner of Granville and Carlisle Road into seven self-contained flats. 

Currently the building is a three-storey, 17-bedroom house in multiple occupancy (HMO), with shared kitchen, lounge and bathroom facilities. It has mostly been occupied by students attending the University of Brighton.

In a design and access statement, a spokesman for the developer said: “Demand for the existing offering within the HMO is dwindling due to reducing student numbers in the area and, as such, a new sustainable long term use for the site is sought that will provide much needed dwellings for the area. 

“The proposed dwellings, a mixture of two- and one- bedroom apartments, are generous in size and significantly exceed national guidance on space provision.

“Advice from local estate agents and analysis of the area has demonstrated that there is demand for this scale of accommodation within the Meads area. 

“As such, it is considered that the proposed scheme will offer much-needed dwellings for Eastbourne residents and will not cause any undue impacts on neighbours or the surrounding area.”

In all the developer intends to create seven apartments through the proposals, made up five two-bedroom and two one-bedroom flats.

Two of the flats would be at ground floor level, both with private entrances to the sides of the main property. 

Several rooflights would also be added to provide light to the flats on the upper floors. 

No additional parking is to be provided as part of the application, with developers saying it would be “impossible” due to space constraints.

Developers, however, argue that the existing HMO – occupied by students – generates a greater demand than the four to five spaces recommended by East Sussex Highways. The scheme would also include bike storage.

For further details on the scheme see application reference 200376 on the Eastbourne Borough Council planning website.

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