‘Party house’ holiday let will be catastrophic for WI

Women’s Institute members in a seaside town have opposed the development of a “party house” holiday let being built next to their meeting rooms.

The 47-member branch has been using the Women’s Institute hall behind a former youth hostel since the 1920s.

Developers have applied to convert the former hostel, on Church Plain at Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, into a 10-bed holiday let with a plunge pool and landscaping.

The WI, who use the hall on the first Thursday of each month, said the proposals would lead to noise disturbances which would be “detrimental” to the area and “reduce the quality of life” of members and residents.

They also fear plans to build a fence and plant trees between the plunge pool and WI building would reduce the amount of light coming into their hall.

The group also raised concerns over the erection of metal gates which they said they would struggle with owing to the limited mobility of their elderly residents.

Thelma Short, 83, has been using the WI hall for 20 years and said: “We won’t be able to get to it, old people like me carrying a cake down. It’s heartbreaking.”

Jean Davies, 70, said: “Access will be very difficult. I understand it’s going to be gated.

“The local Probus group use it for meetings. When we’ve got a speaker, they’ve got to carry things they’re using for their talk like projectors and things – they’re very difficult to carry a long way.”

Janet Macnab, 79, added: “Everybody feels really strongly about it. I had children who had birthday parties here, we have church functions here. I enjoy coming to the embroidery group.”

She added the small parking area was also by parishioners attending nearby St Nicholas Church, because there were few places to park nearby.

In its formal objection on North Norfolk council’s planning portal, the group said the former hostel’s conversion would turn the building into a “party house” which is not suitable for the area or opposite a church.

They said: “The WI building has a right to 7ft access from the road to the building, this is documented within the deeds of the hall dated 1923.

“The construction of a security gate would severely restrict access to our building.

“Most of our members are elderly, some are disabled, and they would find it difficult, if not impossible, to open and close a security gate such as envisaged in the feasibility study.

“Parking in Church Plain is already difficult for residents and our members; the increase in vehicular traffic because of this ‘party house’ would therefore further disadvantage residents and our members making parking even more problematic.”

Wells-next-to-the-Sea town council labelled the gates “disgusting” in a response to the plans.

‘Totally unacceptable’

It said: “The Women’s Institute hall to the west of the hostel has served the ladies and community of Wells since at least 1923.

“The imposition of this development on these ladies and the potential loss of unrestricted access is catastrophic.

“Many of the members have restricted mobility and need vehicle access to the door of the hall. The idea that they will have to negotiate massive metal gates is disgusting.

“The proposed development of the youth hostel into a 10-bedroom holiday rental, opposite the main parish church, in a quiet residential part of the town’s conservation area, is totally unacceptable.

“The youth hostel is in extremely close proximity to several residential dwellings, and a holiday rental that can sleep up to 20 people next door to these dwellings has the potential to cause significant disturbance and loss of amenity.”

‘Social isolation’

Some 18 objections have been received including from one man living nearby states: “My wife, who has mobility issues, is a longstanding member of the Wells WI.

“I know first hand the difficulties she would face accessing the hall, under the provisions of this planning application. Indeed, it would curtail her ability to continue being a member.

“It is unacceptable, that such a proposal should result in their loss of this valued amenity, which may result in feelings of social isolation, for members living alone.”

The planning application, under the name of agent Tom Leahy, proposes “reconfiguration of the internal layouts to contemporary living standards, including the addition of en-suite bathrooms to bedrooms and an open-plan living space”

It also includes a “minor extension to the northern wing of the property, new windows and “improving the back garden through planting and landscaping works, as well as a small raised plunge pool”.

A planning statement adds: “The proposal intends to restore the building’s grandeur by establishing a stronger sense of order, refinement and symmetry that the property once had.”

The hostel, which closed in about 2020, was sold for £400,000 in April to a buyer described as “experienced boutique hoteliers”.

A decision is expected later this year.