Plans to turn a former Douglas hotel into a bedsit have been given the go-ahead.

The Seaview Hotel in Empress Drive has lain empty for around two years and is beginning to deteriorate. It had previously been used for short-term accommodation following the Covid pandemic.

Elliott Homes submitted a change of use planning application to originally transform it into a 27-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), which provides shared living accommodation within the Douglas area. The application has since been amended to reduce it to 24 bedrooms.

The application was considered by the planning committee on Monday.

In the planning statement, the applicant says: ‘The development seeks to bring a vacant property back into active use, delivering professionally managed, high-standard housing in a sustainable town centre location.

‘To support communal living, the development will include three well-equipped kitchens and three dedicated living rooms. These shared facilities will be appropriately distributed throughout the building to ensure no resident is more than two floors away from a kitchen or lounge area.

‘Additional shared amenities will include laundry facilities, secure mail lockers and bin storage, promoting a clean, organised and functional living environment.’

The applicant says the day-to-day operations will be overseen by a dedicated on-site property manager responsible for tenant liaison, routine inspections and health and safety compliance.

At the planning committee meeting, planning officer Lucy Kinrade told members the building had been empty and these proposals would bring it back into use.

She added: ‘The residential use would be compatible with other uses in the area.’

But chairman Rob Callister had his concerns about HMOs.

He said: ‘I am nervous about HMOs and worried about parking in the area. I would prefer to see the building turned into four or five quality apartments.’

However, no other members expressed opposition to the plans, which were granted approval by five votes to one.