Complaints over noise at ‘ party’ flats

‘ PARTY’ holiday flats which have been rented as short term lets without permission may be forced to stop operating.

The turnover of visitors to the eight apartments in Melville Street in the Pollokshields area has caused concern from residents. There have been complaints about parties taking place, noise and anti social behaviour.

One objection to the short term let bid said: “Due to the number of apartments this facilitates the gathering of groups. Parties occur at the premises resulting in noise and odour from drug use to the detriment of adjoining properties residential amenity.”

A retrospective planning application to turn the house in multiple occupancy into short term let accommodation was refused by the council.

It faced 33 objections with concerns voiced over pressure put on parking spaces, parties being held, and the impact on the character and amenity of the area.

Now applicant Sajid Hussain has lodged an appeal to get the council refusal overturned, which will be dealt with at a meeting next week.

The appeal stated: “Given the management arrangements that will be put in place, and rigidly enforced, it is unlikely that there would be any adverse impact upon the residential amenities of the occupiers of any neighbouring properties.

“Indeed, given the previous use of the property as an HMO, it could be argued that the use of the building as a managed ‘ Aparthotel’ would reduce any potential instances of unneighbourliness.”

The short term let bid for the tenement basement and ground floor apartments was originally refused in November by the council for a number of reasons including that the proposal was not in accordance with the development plan.

It was found to be contrary to policies “due to its potential impact on the amenity of the surrounding area owing to the proposed use and scale of that proposed use.”

It was also decided that “it is not considered that there are demonstrable local economic benefits from the proposal which would outweigh the loss of mainstream residential accommodation.”

The appeal outcome for 48 Melville Street will be decided at the planning local review committee next week.