A guest house in Keswick became a problem holiday let – causing stress and inconvenience to neighbours and local businesses.
Lakeland View, at 13 High Hill, a former three-bed B&B, became the centre of complaints to the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) last year.
In late 2022, it was taken on by new owners and turned into a holiday let for up to 12 people, but without first getting planning permission from the LDNPA.
The unofficial change caused a range of problems last summer, including “drunk” stag or hen groups, according to objectors.
Residents or businesses on the small industrial estate nearby told park planners that Lakeland View used to be a small B&B run by a family who had good relationships with them.
But all that changed when it was sold and transformed into a holiday let, leading to complaints about “unacceptable” noise, disturbance, disruptive parking and litter from the “unmanaged” property, according to documents lodged with the LDNPA.
One nearby business owner told park planners: “We have also had arrogant guests come across and ask us to move our vehicle as they can’t get their own 4×4, or similar, out of their allocated space. They tend to use our space as free parking over the weekends, which is not on as we need access to our unit 24/7. This can be a problem if they have gone off walking for the day.”
However, park planners have now granted official planning permission for the retrospective change of use after new agreements were reached.
Representatives for the applicant, Philip Saunders, of UK-Breaks, told the LDNPA that they hadn’t realised planning permission was needed.
It now only allows a maximum of eight adults to stay and the property has been adapted to include a manager’s accommodation with an on-site manager also appointed.
Guests are required to sign an agreement about behaviour on arrival, along with respecting where they park, and how the property is used. A rule is also now in place that the property’s new hot tub cannot be used before 6am or after 10pm.
Representatives for the applicants told the national park: “A site manager will be responsible for the upkeep of the property as a holiday let undertaking duties such as cleaning, laundry, general maintenance as well as being the point of contact for guests, providing the ‘meet and greet’ on arrival and general presence on site to assist guests and respond should issues arise.”
The decision by the national park to allow change of use permission was made on December 8 but will be reported to members of the LDNPA’s development control committee sitting in Kendal on Wednesday (February 7).
