Hotel idea sparks outcry

Residents express their concerns

Perth residents have raised concerns at a public meeting about a neighbour’s proposals to make alterations to her home with the apparent intention of converting it into a guest house/hotel.

A number of people spoke at Bridgend, Gannochy and Kinnoull Community Council’s latest meeting to draw the group’s attention to the planning application, which relates to a substantial property in Bellwood Park.

One attendee stated that although the application appeared to be “innocuous” when it was first lodged as it refers merely to making “alterations” to the house, on closer inspection it can be seen the applicant is actually seeking permission to fit bathrooms to all the property’s bedrooms.

It was further said at Thursday’s meeting the applicant had made it clear to some residents her ultimate intention is to turn the house into a guest house/hotel and that residents feel their neighbour ought to have applied to “change the use” of the property before seeking permission for the proposed alterations.

Community councillors pledged to take a closer look at the application to see whether it was something the group would wish to object to and advised the concerned residents to lodge their own formal objections to it in the meantime.

Nine objections have already been sent to Perth and Kinross Council, meaning the application is now likely to be determined by councillors rather than planning officers.

One resident wrote: “Although not stated in the application, the main reason for the application is to change the layout of the house in order for it to be turned into a guest house/hotel.

“This change of use would be extremely inappropriate. Bellwood Park is a very quiet residential street on a privately owned road. This is a conservation area and a guest house/hotel would hugely change the character and feel of the street.”

Another wrote: “The application relates to substantial alterations to a residential property so that it will end up with six bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms/toilets.

“[The applicant] has informed us and other residents in the street that she is converting the property into a hotel/guest house.

“Our key objection is that, although not stated anywhere in the application, the purpose of the alterations is to convert what is currently a residential property into a multi-occupancy hotel/guest house with six bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.”

The application will now likely be determined by the council’s development management committee in due course.