Seadragons hostel in Hove could become student flats

The application proposes turning Seadragon Backpackers in Waterloo Street, Hove, into an HMO for six university students.

Applicant Karen Ashton is seeking planning permission for the change from a hostel to a small HMO under use class C4.

The property has operated for years as a budget hostel just off the seafront, offering four-bed and two-bed dorms and a private double room for travellers.

The building’s central location has been consistently praised, with visitors noting its proximity to the beach, Western Road, and public transport links.

If approved, the conversion would end the building’s use as short-stay tourist accommodation, replacing it with longer-term student housing.

The hostel is located on Waterloo Street (Image: Google)

Use class C4 covers small HMOs occupied by three to six unrelated people who share kitchen or bathroom facilities.

While converting a family home to an HMO doesn’t typically require planning permission, Brighton and Hove is covered by an article 4 direction.

An article 4 direction is a legal planning tool that removes certain "permitted development" rights in a specified area.

In April 2013, Brighton and Hove City Council introduced an article 4 direction specifically to stop homeowners from using permitted development rights to convert ordinary family homes (use class C3) into small houses in multiple occupation (use class C4) without seeking permission.

This means full planning permission is needed for any C3 to C4 change throughout the city.

Larger HMOs for seven or more occupants fall outside C4 and are classed as "sui generis", which always requires planning approval.

Planning officers review applications against a threshold-based policy to avoid excessive clustering.

Guidelines state that fewer than ten per cent of properties within 50 metres should already be HMOs, and fewer than 20 per cent in the wider area.

The plans seek permission to convert the hostel in an HMO for students (Image: Google)

The proposed conversion comes amid ongoing pressure on student housing in Brighton and Hove.

While demand for shared accommodation remains high, the pace of HMO conversions has slowed under the city’s tighter planning policies.

The article 4 direction was introduced in 2013 and later extended to cover all 12 city wards.

All HMOs housing three or more tenants in Brighton and Hove must also be licensed under the Additional Licensing Scheme, which came into effect from July 1, 2024.

The plans relating Seadragon Backpackers are currently open for public consultation.

The plans can be viewed using the reference BH2026/01349.