The owner of a property in Bath being used without permission as a holiday let for up to 24 guests for the last 10 years has appealed against an enforcement notice.
In August 2023 Bath & North East Somerset Council issued the notice regarding nine-bed Dorset Villa at 14 Newbridge Road.
Described as a semi-detached property, it has lawful permission as a guest house for up to 14 people but the council’s environmental protection team had received anti-social behaviour and noise complaints associated with groups of guests using it as short-term holiday accommodation.
There were several formal noise complaints between 2021 and 2023, one of which resulted in a warning letter being issued.
Last September the owner Michael Newby-Vincent sought retrospective permission to formally change the use of Dorset Villa to cater for a maximum of 24 people. The application form said the change of use had started in September 2014.
A statement supporting the application highlighted the “valuable contribution towards tourist accommodation in the city, without resulting in the loss of active residential accommodation, whilst respecting neighbour amenity and providing sufficient parking”.
It also said that the owner lives in a flat adjoining the property so is able to monitor it when it is in use.
But the council refused the application last November, saying the change of use to a commercial holiday let for up to 24 people without on-site management “would result in additional noise and disturbance which would cause significant harm to the residential amenity of the neighbouring occupiers”.
No management plan had been submitted as part of the application.
The council had received nine comments of support for the change of use and more than 80 objections.
Concerns were voiced about Dorset Villa being used as a “party house” and that the noise pollution was affecting the mental and emotional wellbeing of neighbours.
Local people spoke of experiencing noise and disturbance almost every weekend, particularly from hen parties at which drinking alcohol leads to “excessive noise and sometimes anti-social behaviour”.
It was said that the proprietor had publicly claimed to have had up to 500 bookings over five years.
Also highlighted were reports of multiple taxis and other vehicles arriving to load and unload guests and causing obstruction and hazards. There were reports of parking on double yellow lines and that with up to eight cars on the driveway, they sometimes protrude onto the footpath.
But the council’s highways team had no objection if four secure cycle parking spaces were provided.
They noted that the property is close to public transport links and that illegal parking and obstruction of footpaths is a matter for traffic enforcement and/or the police.
The Planning Inspectorate website shows that the enforcement notice appeal was lodged last month by Michael Newby-Vincent. The appeal reference is APP/F0114/C/24/3344790.
Bookings are still being taken on the Tripadvisor website for Dorset Villa, which has five-star reviews. Prices are said to start from £750 a night.