Former Whitby dental surgery to become five holiday apartments despite ‘overdevelopment’ concerns

A Grade-II Listed dental surgery in Whitby will be converted into five holiday lets despite local objections.

The former dental surgery at 9 Victoria Square in Whitby town centre will become five holiday apartments after North Yorkshire Council approved the conversion despite concerns about overdevelopment.

Two apartments will be created on the ground floor of the building, one will be formed on the first floor, another will be created in the loft, and the rest of the site will be divided between the first floor and the loft level, according to plans.

Whitby Town Council, which opposed the plan, said the scheme would “constitute overdevelopment” and that there could be a risk to community safety “through the possible blocking of the access to the nearby hospital.”

It also raised concerns about increasing noise levels.

However, planning officers refuted the concerns about overdevelopment, stating that “the site is capable of accommodating the proposal, which does not constitute overdevelopment”.

Another objector, Whitby Civic Society, also expressed concerns regarding traffic and parking and “the desirability of the apartments being used as long-term accommodation, not solely as short-term lets”.

The Highway Authority did not oppose the scheme and as such officers noted that highway concerns “could not reasonably” be used to refuse the application whilst highlighting that the council was still bound by national policies whereby short-term and long-term accommodation are in the same (C3) category.

However, council planners agreed that additional conditions should be required to protect the amenity of neighbouring residents.

As such, before it is brought into use as a holiday let, the applicant must submit a report prepared by “a suitably qualified and experienced noise consultant” identifying ways of mitigating possible noise problems.

A management plan for the operation of the site will also have to be submitted and approved by the council which will “remain in force for the lifetime of the development” while an appointed property manager will be responsible for ensuring the plan is adhered to.

The council concluded that it was positive that the proposal would bring a vacant commercial property into use and that the “imposition of suitable conditions” would minimise possible impacts.

The conversion was approved by North Yorkshire Council on Wednesday, September 25.