Controversial plans to turn a residential property into a “party house” for tourists have been rejected.
KDS Developments submitted the planning application to Brighton and Hove City Council, requesting a change of use for 42 Tidy Street, in the North Laine.
The plan aimed to alter the use of the property from a private dwelling to a flexible use as both a holiday let and a private dwelling.
The property in question has been used as a holiday let for over a year and a half, being owned by the applicant since 2006.
Despite previous use as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), it was converted back to a single dwelling holiday let in 2024. This recent application sought to formalise its holiday let use.
The property at 42 Tidy Street is painted in grey (Image: Google)
The terraced house is currently listed on Airbnb and Booking.com, and is advertised as having space for ten guests. The property is described as being “nestled in a quiet street in the heart of the city”.
The applicant justified the use by stating the holiday let had operated without any police reports or environmental health complaints related to noise or disturbance, indicating no significant negative impact on residential amenity.
Despite this claim, the application was met with 25 objections from local residents and organisations.
One resident strongly objected, writing: “This party house has been a major cause of noise and other nuisance in our street for some time now.”
Objectors say the holiday let has become a ‘party house’ (Image: Google)
Another said: “The property has been advertised for up to 10 guests and has already been used for large groups.
“This has caused severe noise and disturbance, often late at night, with disruptive comings and goings, and loud parties.”
Councillor Elen Mcleay also voiced her objection, arguing that the property’s continued operation as a holiday let without seeking prior consent “undermines the proper planning process”.
The North Laine Community Association also objected.
The council’s planning officers noted that the application was retrospective, and said that the Planning Investigation Team have a separate live case with regard to both the use and the “unauthorised windows” installed in the property.
The council rejected the retrospective application (Image: Google)
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Planning officers also confirmed that no adequate evidence was submitted demonstrating the property’s operation could exist without impacting the residential amenity of neighbouring occupants.
“The holiday let use has presented issues for neighbouring occupiers, and due to the nature of the use and its intensity, the harm to neighbours by way of noise and disturbance is a fundamental concern”, they said.
The council rejected the plans on March 3. The plans can be viewed using the reference BH2025/03000.