Plans to turn Brighton Seadragon hostel into HMO rejected

Brighton and Hove City Council rejected an application to convert Seadragon Backpackers at 36 Waterloo Street, Hove, into an HMO for up to six people.

Planning documents suggested the the house was proposed for six university students.

A planning officer found two proposed bedrooms were too small, the shared kitchen would have no natural light and there would be no private outdoor space.

The officer's report said this would result in a "poor quality internal environment".

The application sought permission to change the Waterloo Street hostel into a house for up to six people (Image: Google)

The report concluded: "The combination of undersized bedrooms, the absence of natural light to the kitchen, and the lack of any external amenity area would result in substandard living conditions."

According to the report, plans labelled the two bedrooms as 7.5 square metres each, but the officer calculated that they measured 6.9 square metres.

The rooms did not meet national space standards for single occupancy, the report said.

Two letters objecting to the application raised concerns about noise during construction and from people living in the proposed house.

One objector wrote: "This area has already been suffering from noise pollution from commercial fans, disruption from unregulated short-term lets, and drunken and disorderly behaviour.

"There is also a concern of the six residents being young people making loud noise and having parties, as has happened with other properties in the area recently."

Plans to turn Seadragon Backpackers into a shared house have been refused. (Image: Google)

The officer considered the house was unlikely to have a greater impact on neighbours than the existing hostel in terms of noise and people coming and going.

The highways authority did not object, although noted there was not enough space on site to provide additional cycle parking.

The officer also noted that an HMO would need a council licence and would have to meet management standards.

Despite accepting the principle of the change of use, the officer recommended refusal because of the proposed living conditions.

The plans were officially refused on November 6. They can be viewed using the reference BH2026/01349.