On Tuesday (June 25), Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning committee is set to consider an application to convert the former Tredegar Care Home in Upper Avenue into a 17-bedroom HMO (house in multiple occupation). Developers say the HMO, if fully let, would be home to up to 34 full time tenants, with shared kitchen and amenity spaces. In a design and access statement submitted as part of the application, a statement from developer Adepto Property said: “It is accepted that HMOs do not normally provide aspirational accommodation. “However, they do provide much needed accommodation for those starting out on independent living or who are at a transitional stage in their life. “It is to this group that we seek to provide a clean, affordable well-managed home that brings stability and certainty to what is often a difficult, fractured or erratic lifestyle. “Too often HMOs are the marketplaces’ worst housing solution for the most vulnerable. Our proposal seeks to remedy this HMO problem, not repeat it.” The statement adds that the HMO would have a caretaker manager on-site, who would be responsible for running the building. A caretaker manager would also be responsible for identifying ‘unreasonable behaviour before it escalates’, the statement says. If the conversion were approved, the building would be split into 17-bedrooms, most being designed to fit a double-bed. Developers say this would mean a maximum occupancy of 34 full time residents, plus guests. Residents would be expected to share one of four kitchens within the building and would also have access to a shared laundry room. Each bedroom would have its own en-suite bathroom and shower, however. The application is recommended for approval by Eastbourne planning officers. A council planning spokesman said: “It is considered that the accommodation proposed by this scheme is acceptable and would not give rise to material impacts in terms of activity, parking and noise and disturbance.” However, planning officers also suggest conditions requiring the submission of a management and maintenance scheme for the property to ensure it remains in a satisfactory condition. For further details of the scheme, see application reference 190127 on the Eastbourne Borough Council planning website.
