Many residents have written to me objecting to the plans to turn the Windsor House Hotel into an HMO, or house of multiple occupancy.
The planning application to turn the hotel into an HMO was turned down by the local planning committee, but the applicant has appealed that decision and submitted another application to have another go.
In the meantime the Home Office expressed interest in turning the hotel into accommodation for asylum seekers. I am pleased to say the Home Office has dropped their interest.
However, there is still the prospect of this site becoming an HMO. The Council are now in negotiations with the owners about turning the hotel into emergency accommodation for up to 44 people. We do need more accommodation of this sort, but this is entirely the wrong place to have it.
I agree with local residents who have been complaining for years that the area already has its fair share of HMOs. This is a quiet residential area and the reason the application was turned down was the over-concentration of people it would lead to on one site and the impact it would have on the area's character.
Those circumstances haven't changed, which is why I am working with local residents to object to turning this site into an HMO. This is the wrong use, in the wrong place, and I will be registering my objections with the council again.
A drop-in meeting with the developer (SDR Group) and the Council has been arranged for 5pm Thursday 15th June. If you want to have your say on the plans please show up, or if you are not able to please send someone else in your place.
When: 5pm - Thursday 15th June
Where: East Worthing Community Centre, Pages Lane, just next to the Range.
