BCP Council (Bournemouth): Matt Annen is delighted to announce that planning permission has been granted for the demolition of an existing double garage and the erection of a self-contained, short-term holiday let on land in Southbourne. The scheme was cleverly designed by local architect Marlow Architects.
It’s another win for a site that has been on a long journey — and proof that a carefully argued fallback position can unlock real value from a tired, under-used plot. The application site consisted of a single-storey detached timber garage with a metal roller door, an area of hardstanding to the frontage and a dropped kerb access off. No soft landscaping, no real contribution to the street scene — in short, an under-utilised relatively small parcel of land
This site’s history did a lot of the heavy lifting for us:
- Erection of a detached two-storey, two-bed dwelling. Refused (March 2023).
- Demolition of the garage and erection of a new garage with storage in the roof void. Granted (February 2024).
- A revised version of the same. Refused (August 2024) — but allowed on appeal (ref. APP/V1260/W/25/3360960) on 24 June 2025.
That appeal decision was the key. It left a live, extant consent for a substantial replacement garage building, and the Inspector had already concluded that a building of that scale, form and materials would sit comfortably in the street scene — noting that the gabled front and hipped rear echoed the bay window roofs of neighbouring properties, that brick would help it integrate, and that it would read as a subservient structure within a consistent and cohesive area.
The approved scheme delivers a self-contained one-bedroom holiday let inside a built form of essentially identical footprint and scale to the extant garage consent:
- Open-plan kitchenette, dining and living space beneath a vaulted roof
- Shower room and WC at ground floor
- Bedroom on a mezzanine within the roof form
- A courtyard garden to the front behind
Externally, the changes are modest and deliberately sympathetic: timber shutters screening a glazed door and windows to the front (closing up to read as garage doors when the unit isn’t in use), a porthole window at first-floor level, repositioned rooflights and one additional ground-floor window. Red brick, timber and a slate-effect tiled roof throughout, exactly as approved.
Four objections were received, raising concerns about design, dominance, overshadowing, noise, parking and the perceived over-supply of holiday accommodation. The case officer worked through each and concluded in the scheme’s favour:
Character and appearance — Same footprint as the appeal-approved building, with only a marginal height increase and matching materials. The amendments were found to create a harmonious appearance with neighbouring dwellings, in accordance with Policy CS41 and the Council’s 2008 design guide.
Neighbouring amenity — Size and scale remain very close to the scheme the Inspector had already accepted, and no harm from overshadowing was identified. Limited side-facing glazing means no new overlooking. With a one-bedroom unit likely to accommodate one to four people on a short-stay, seasonal basis — and managed directly by the owners living immediately next door — the Council accepted that comings, goings and noise would be limited.
Highways and parking — Revised plans secured the reinstatement of the redundant dropped kerb with full-height kerbing, actually creating an additional on-street space for local residents, plus frontage cycle storage. The Local Highway Authority raised no objection subject to conditions. The site’s sustainable location, a short walk from Southbourne district centre, bus routes and the beach, sealed it.
Thinking of doing something similar?
Garages, outbuildings, annexes and awkward rear parcels of land are some of the most overlooked assets in the BCP area — and short-term holiday accommodation remains a genuinely viable use in the right sustainable location, particularly where an extant consent gives you a fallback to build on.
If you have a site with planning history you think is a dead end, it may be worth a second look. Get in touch with the Pure Town Planning team on 01202 585524 or info@puretownplanning.co.uk and we’d be happy to take a look for you.