RESIDENTS, including families, are expected to move out of a block of flats in Grosvenor Road, Weymouth because the owner wants to retire.

If planning consent is approved the site will then be re-configured for people with learning and physical difficulties.

The property, 7 Grosvenor Road, is the subject of a current planning application for conversion into smaller flats, although an agent says this is not connected with decision to end the current leases.

Weymouth Town Council has objected to the planning permission – despite one, senior, councillor warning that social issues are not a planning consideration. But Cllr Graham Winter believes they should be and persuaded the town council planning committee to vote 5-3 to object to the application. The resolution is only advisory, with the final decision to be made by a Dorset Council planning officer. Cllr Winter said that he saw little sense in the application which he claims will offer fewer bedrooms than the existing layout. He told the town council planning committee that he was worried that six of the eight families on the site have children and would have to move.

“It would change the demographic of the road,” he said.

Mr Winter also questioned the proposed future use of the building. He said that his experience was that people with a learning difficulties generally wanted to feel part of typical communities with a mix of people around them.

Cllr Ken Whatley shared some of his views and was one of those who voted to object to the application: “I’m concerned about losing three-bedroom flats suitable for local families,” he said.

But Cllr Kevin Brooks argued that the issue of the existing tenants, or who uses the building in the future, was not a planning matter, and with little or no change proposed to the outside of the building, there was nothing in planning terms to object to.

The application seeks to convert the building from six three-bed apartments and two three-bed town houses to 13 one-bedroom flats and two one-bed maisonettes with a manager’s office. The scheme also allows for a communal room and changes to the car park.

It has been submitted via a Bournemouth-based agent for Purpose Homes Ltd with the name and address of the current owner of the building redacted from the Dorset Council application form.

The agent, director of Pure Town Planning, Darryl Howells, said the planning consent and the tenancy arrangements are two separate issues: “The reason why the current tenants will need to move is due to the current owners’ decision to sell the property so he can retire, and not the planning application. This is evidenced by the fact that the original plan for the reconfiguration of the property didn’t require a planning application but still required vacant possession. Both seller and buyer will work empathetically with the current tenants to ensure that no one is unduly disadvantaged by the changes. The planning application merely seeks to reconfigure the internal layout of the existing building. Doing so will avoid any additional built form, will cause no impact to the character or appearance of the Conservation Area or neighbouring amenities. The proposed development fully complies with adopted planning policies,” he said in a statement.

There have been five objections to the proposals so far including two people living in the flats, one of which describes the it as a lovely community where people get on well. Some of the objection letters claim the proposed new use will create additional noise and disturbance in the area.

Said one: “New opportunity for disabled people at the expense of individual tragedy for local families.”

The application remains open for public comment until August 27. A decision is listed for a planning officer, under delegated powers, rather than a committee of councillors.