Proposals to replace a luxury and boutique apart hotel in Southport town centre with a 19-bed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) have been refused by Sefton Council.
The local authority said not enough private amenity space would be provided with the building at the 20-bedroom Hotel 21, at 21B Stanley Street, just behind Lord Street.
A local councillor raised his concerns about a lack of “good hotel accommodation” in the town centre, especially at a time when the new £73 million Marine Lake Events Centre is being built.
In his report, Sefton Council Chief Planning Officer Derek McKenzie said: “The application site is an existing apart hotel. The main issues to consider in respect of this proposal are the principle of the development, the effect on the character of the area, living conditions of future occupiers, living conditions of neighbouring occupiers, highway safety.
“Whilst the proposal would result in the loss of an apart hotel, which is a tourism use, there is no evidence to demonstrate that its loss would harm the vitality and viability of the town centre.”
The amount of useable private outdoor amenity space provided however would be “unacceptable.”
Derek McKenzie wrote: “Whilst it is acknowledged that there are public parks and open spaces by the Marine Lake, and gardens on Lord Street, this does not justify the significant shortfall of private amenity space onsite for future occupiers.
“The amount of private amenity space is not considered sufficient to meet the needs of future occupiers, this would be harmful to their living conditions.
“The applicant has provided details suggesting that the apart hotel has been running at a loss, however this does not justify the identified harm to future occupiers by way of insufficient private amenity space provided in the scheme.”
Objections to the plans have been sent to Sefton Council from five local residents in the area.
They revealed concerns over an “over-concentration of Houses of Multiple Occupation in the area”; not enough private amenity space for occupiers; and that with no parking spaces provided, it would “exacerbate existing parking issues in the street”.
An artist’s impression of the new Marine Lake Events Centre in Southport, first released on 20th May 2022
Southport Dukes Ward councillors Mike Prendergast also raised his concerns with this council.
He said: “I have concerns about this change of use application and the impact it can have on the town centre in Southport.
“Sefton is in the process of spending over £70 million on a new conference centre and there is already a shortage of good hotel accommodation in the town centre.
“Therefore, I would not support the change of use from a hotel to residential use.
“I am also responding on behalf of those residents who have contacted me to object to the application as well.”
Rooms at the 20-bedroom venue have recently been advertised for a minimum of £69 per night while the Penthouse Suite is available for £118 per night.
On its website, it says: “Hotel 21 is a luxury and Boutique Apart Hotel with 20 apartments and rooms. It is a perfect combination of contemporary technology with elegant designs to form a calm and luxurious experience. Hotel 21 is a cool and clean Apart Hotel with simple but elegant styling and tactile textures.”
Owner Manchester Real Estate Ltd has submitted a planning application to Sefton Council seeking permission to convert the site into 19 “high quality part self-contained units with ample shared communal facilities”
The firm’s application says: “The town centre has been in decline in terms of economic activity and footfall for a number of years.
“It is now widely recognised that a credible solution to stop this national trend is to populate town centres, which brings vitality back into the towns which then makes town centres viable again.”
Under the plans, 20 apart-hotel rooms would be lost, to be replaced by 19 HMO rooms.
A planning statement prepared by architects Woolrich Hunter on behalf of Manchester Real Estate Ltd says: ““In 2019, the building underwent a significant extension and renovation to an apart-hotel (20 rooms) with communal facilities, including internal alterations, demolition and rebuilding the front upper facade raising the roof to create two further floors and a three storey extension to the side.
“The purpose is to continue to offer high quality, affordable shared accommodation to working professional people such as key workers, graduates, local workers and those on secondment from established employment (not intended for students).
“The property has recently undergone a full complete renovation, undertaken by the building owner; Manchester Real Estate Ltd.
“Manchester Real Estate Ltd is a family business with over 20 years experience in the property industry, with portfolios in the UK and abroad.
“As an established Landlord, MRE has a longstanding investment in Southport town centre, reflected by its local property portfolio and commitment to providing consistently high standards of living.”
“This HMO will help address the need for key worker accommodation. There is an identified need nationally for housing for key workers to enable our core facilities to operate properly.
“An HMO for professionals such as this provides an affordable option for key workers to live near their place of work in high quality accommodation.”
It is not yet known whether Manchester Real Estate Ltd will appeal the decision.
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Do you need advertising, PR or media support? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrownn@gmail.com
