A PROPOSAL for the change of use of a vacant Weymouth guest house to a house in multiple occupation (HMO) raised fears that Weymouth could be taken down the road of 'failed seaside towns'.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's planning committee granted a proposal for Kimberley Guesthouse on Kirtleton Avenue to change to a 12 bedroomed HMO.

The application was brought to committee at the request of Cllr Jason Osborne, brief holder for tourism and culture for Melcombe Regis, who felt another HMO in the area would raise issues for tourism.

He said: "A number of people phoned me within a week regarding this.

"One of the areas that are a problem for us are HMOs.

"There are 47 licensed HMOs in the borough and more than a 100 that are not.

"This will have a huge impact tourism and tourism is the back bone to Weymouth and Portland.

"We don't want to go down the road of failed seaside towns, we need to keep the hotels if tourism is going to continue."

Kimberley Guesthouse has 11 letting bedrooms and two rooms in the basement.

At the rear is a pitched roof garage and seven parking spaces accessed from Park Lane.

There are no external alterations proposed, only internal alterations to change a bedroom to a bathroom and a dining room to a bedroom.

Kirtleton Avenue is predominately residential in character with flats and single dwellings.

In a statement to the committee the applicant, who lives in Weymouth, said he was 'taken back' by the response to the application.

He told the committee the property had been marketed as a guest house for three years without success, he was on good terms with neighbours and he would manage the property and be on hand to resolve any difficulties.

The applicants also intends to license the HMO and this would be registered with the Boroughs Environmental Health department.

However, residents were concerned about having another HMO in the area and were worried this would increase anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Pamela Nixon said: "I've been thinking long and hard about this. We can't label people by the way they want to live. I feel more assured after hearing from the applicant. It's been on the market for more than three years."

Chair of the meeting, Cllr Kate Wheller, said: "It seems to me it will be a well-run HMO."

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