The Eastern BCP Planning Committee scheduled a meeting to take place on 25 September 2025, where they were to consider planning applications and other items of business. The meeting was scheduled to include a discussion of a retrospective planning application for a change of use to a supported living hostel, and a planning application for extensions to a dwellinghouse. The committee was also scheduled to discuss public requests to speak.

Planning Applications

The committee was scheduled to consider two planning applications at the meeting.

4 Richmond Park Crescent, Bournemouth

The committee was scheduled to discuss a retrospective application for a change of use at 4 Richmond Park Crescent, Bournemouth, BH8 9BU from a house in multiple occupation (HMO) to a supported living hostel.

The applicant, BCP Council, sought planning consent for the change of use from a HMO to a supported living hostel, which would be classified as a C2 Residential Institution¹ use class. The property would use no more than seven bedrooms for single people on a temporary basis. The report pack stated that careful consideration is given to placing suitably assessed occupants at the accommodation, following a risk assessment.

The report pack noted that the property is a detached two-storey building that was previously occupied as a seven-bedroom HMO. It is situated on the corner plot at a crossroads abutting both Richmond Park Crescent and Richmond Park Road, with Bennett Road on the opposite side.

20 representations were received objecting to the proposal, raising concerns such as:

• Inappropriateness for the area
• Safety concerns
• Overlooking
• Concerns over crime
• Inadequate management
• Disturbance

The report pack stated that the main considerations for this application were:

• Housing mix
• Impact on the character and appearance of the area
• Impact on neighbouring amenity
• Impact on living conditions of future residents
• Impact on highways and parking
• Impact on protected trees

The report pack stated that the proposal was considered to be acceptable in principle, subject to conditions, and would not result in any significant impact upon neighbour amenity, character and visual appearance of the area, highway safety.

The report pack recommended that permission be granted, subject to conditions. These included adhering to a management plan and that the development only be used for supported living.

98 Gladstone Road East, Bournemouth

The committee was scheduled to discuss an application for extensions to the dwellinghouse at 98 Gladstone Road East, Bournemouth, BH7 6HQ. The application, submitted by Mr Martin Wybrow, included single and two-storey rear extensions to the dwellinghouse and construction of a garden room using the existing detached garage footprint.

The report pack stated that Gladstone Road East is a residential street in Boscombe, Bournemouth, where dwellinghouses are typically detached. Number 98 is a detached dwelling finished with grey render, with a small conservatory attached to the rear elevation.

Several representations were received from residents, with 12 objections and one comment. The issues raised included:

• Dwellinghouse use as an HMO
• Impact on the character and appearance of the area
• Neighbouring amenity
• Landscaping and trees

The report pack stated that the key issues involved with this proposal were:

• The impact on the character and appearance of the area.
• The impact on neighbouring residential amenity
• The impact on existing and future occupiers
• The impact on trees
• The impact on highways
• The impact on BNG²

The report pack stated that the proposed development would cause detrimental harm to neighbouring residential amenity in terms of appearing overbearing, oppressive and leading to loss of light and outlook from windows.

The report pack recommended that planning permission be refused, due to the unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenity and that it was contrary to policy CS41 of the Bournemouth Local Plan Core Strategy (2012), BAP2 of the Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan (2019) as well as the provisions of the Residential Extensions: A Design Guide (2008) and the NPPF (2024)³.

Public Issues

The committee was scheduled to receive any requests to speak on planning applications which the planning committee was considering at the meeting. The deadline for submission of requests to speak was 10:00 am on Wednesday 24 September 2025.

The Protocol for Speaking / Statements at Planning Committee outlines the procedure for public speaking at planning committee meetings. It states that there will be a maximum combined time of five minutes to speak in objection and a further maximum combined time of five minutes to speak in support. Up to two people may speak during each of these allotted times.