Research has been launched with Cheshire West and Chester Council ( CWaC ) aid after Chester pupil accommodation appeared on a lodge booking website. The Towpath in Chester is to be ordered on Booking.com – despite planning permission for an exchange of use to the assets no longer approved.
Residents of close-flats Tower Wharf in Chester, near Telford’s Warehouse, were dubious about the utility once they obtained planning to be aware from the council.
Be Aware presented them the chance to reply to an application for a temporary change of use from pupil accommodation to an aggregate of short-term lettings/hostel and student lodging between July 1 and August 31.
Eagle-eyed recipients soon realized that the letter had sincerely been despatched on July 16 – with a request for feedback to be submitted on August 6.
With purple flags raised, citizens undertook a similar investigation, which revealed that The Towpath was already marketed on Booking.com and changed into accepting reservations.
The website states that The Towpath has been ‘welcoming visitors’ since July 4 this year.
No matter the planning application for the trade of use to the room, this nonetheless looks for approval.
On Monday, July 22, CheshireLive could view and reserve a room at The Towpath in Chester for a spread of dates to accommodate several special-sized businesses.
Prices ranged from £eighty one.60 for one room to £816 for ten spaces for the dates we decided on.
At the time of the ebook, the student lodging can be reserved on Booking.com.
When asked if planning permission had been given to the task, a spokesman for CWaC stated: “Planning permission hasn’t been given.
“The making plans software changed into only verified on July 10, and no choice will be made before the quit of the consultation duration, which is August 15, 2019.”
Following a question about the appearance of the scholar lodging on Booking.com, the CWaC spokesman explained that the neighborhood authority had become the commercial on Monday, July 22.
He stated: “The council has opened an enforcement case and may investigate the matter.
“If it is deemed that the temporary use as a hostel is having an unacceptable impact on neighboring homes, then the council will use its powers beneath the Town and Country Planning Act to make certain that the use cases.
“Any pastime that the candidates take before making plans permission is absolutely at their chance.
“If planning permission is not given, the employer might be answerable for coping with unfulfilled bookings.”
The planning software was entered by Gerald Eve on behalf of PBSA The Towpath SARL.
CheshireLive has reached out to Gerald Eve for comment.
We have additionally contacted Booking.Com to invite approximately their coverage on properties marketed.
