Sandbanks developer tries for fourth time to overturn ban on turning tiny £600,000 storage right into a £1milliion Airbnb
A Sandbanks developer is bidding to overturn a ban on turning a tiny £600,000 garage into a £1million Airbnb for the fourth time.
Peter Mullins bought the garage in 2021 and has already seen three attempts to turn the property into residential use turned down by planning officials.
The persistent property developer originally wanted to redesign the 19ft-wide garage into two houses, then into two flats, and more recently into a small dwelling, which experts said would likely be used as a holiday let.
He has now submitted another application to try to push through plans to transform the garage into a two-bedroom house, with most of the living accommodation in the pitched roof.
If granted, the small home, which is located on the exclusive peninsula in Poole Harbour, Dorset, could be worth more than £1million.
Sandbanks is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy real estate.
Its waterfront mansions sell for upwards of £10m and holiday apartments that lay empty for most of the year are worth up to £4m.
Mr Mullins first applied for a pair of slim semi-detached houses on the plot and when that failed, he tried for two flats but with no luck.
A Sandbanks developer is bidding to overturn a ban on turning a tiny £600,000 garage into a £1million Airbnb for the fourth time
The developer was then granted consent to put a new pitched roof on the garage but said the garage would retain its ‘single storey nature
The 19ft wide garage (pictured) was set to be turned into a new home with a double bedroom, a single bedroom, and a dining and living room
The developer was then granted consent to put a new pitched roof on the garage but said the garage would retain its ‘single storey nature’.
However, after the work was carried out Mr Mullins applied to turn the garage into a two-bedroom house with most of the living space in the new roof he had created.
BCP Council’s planning officers said the application he had made – for a change of use from garage to dwelling – was not appropriate and he needed to make a full planning application.
He appealed their refusal, but that was dismissed with a planning inspector citing that the proposal was not suitable due to the flood risk.
They said no detailed escape plan had been provided, nor flood resistance and resilience measures proposed.
However, they also said they did not find that ‘its appearance makes it unsuitable for residential use’ and would not cause any harm on the character and appearance of the area.
Mr Mullins has now applied for a change of use to a dwelling house again.
The Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum has objected to the plans stating it would create substandard residential accommodation for the posh neighbourhood.
They also highlighted issues with a lack of sunlight for the property and the flood risk it would face.
They said: ‘We would not object in principle to a well-designed, sensible and rational conversion and extension that accords with the neighbourhood plan, the current proposal does not meet that standard.
A previous planning proposal, which was rejected, saw Mr Mullins plan to construct two new homes (ringed in red) on the site of the garage
Mr Mullins had sought to to turn this tiny garage near into an Airbnb, after buying the property in Poole, Dorset, for £600,000 in 2021
The architect appealing the case in behalf of Peter Mullins claimed the council should have granted permission because ‘there was no strong reason for refusing’ and it would help meet the demand for more housing in the area.
‘The application should be returned as invalid unless a correct description of development is agreed and fully aligned supporting documents are submitted, together with a properly designed scheme.’
Property experts have previously suggested the diminutive home would not be suitable as a full-time residence and its prime location on the exclusive peninsula meant it would more likely be a holiday home or Airbnb.
But the planning inspector said there was sufficient daylight and floorspace to provide acceptable living conditions for the future occupants.
The ground floor would have a small garage with space for bikes and bins at the front with a narrow corridor leading to a bathroom and kitchen at the back.
The upstairs would have a double bedroom, a single bedroom and a dining/living room. The only windows on this floor would be four sky lights – one in each bedroom and two in the living space.
On the new plans Mr Mullins has now added a bathroom with a handbasin on the first floor, cutting into the floorspace for the second bedroom, to address the inspector’s concerns that if occupants were stuck in a flood on the first floor they would have no access to clean water or sanitation.
The Environment Agency have said they have no objection to the latest plans, provided a condition is added that the ground floor will only be used for storage due to the flood risk.
The consultation period has now ended and planners are expected to make a decision in due course.
