Plans to extend a converted residential care building that now operates as shared accommodation have sparked opposition from area residents.
Bella Vista Homes has submitted a request to permit six of the larger rooms in the 12-bedroom shared house to house two occupants each.
Should Wealden District Council approve the scheme, occupancy could increase from 12 to 18 people.
Chardwood Rest Home, situated on Eastbourne Road in Pevensey Bay, previously functioned as a care establishment before receiving partial conversion.
Permission to convert the property into a 12-bedroom shared house was granted in February.
The initial proposals to create the 12-bedroom shared accommodation drew 35 formal objections, with local people raising numerous concerns about the conversion.
Thomas Nolan, who fought the original plans, expressed strong opposition to the proposal, stating that Pevensey Bay is a lovely village that does not need a 12-bedroom house in multiple occupation.
The latest plans have prompted unease among local residents, who argue the expansion would lead to overdevelopment of the site, damage the neighbourhood’s residential nature, and breach previous conditions attached to the property.
Erica Simmonds, an adjacent homeowner, expressed irritation with the scheme, pointing to the council’s earlier decision to cap occupancy at 12.
She highlighted that Wealden District Council had already stipulated 12 people as the maximum number for the property and expressed disbelief that they would reconsider this condition to permit such extreme overdevelopment.
Parking and road safety concerns have also been raised, particularly given promises in the original application about providing suitable facilities.
Keighley Harrison, a Pevensey Bay local, expressed concerns about the increased number of occupants risking harm to neighbouring amenity through noise and activity.
She also worried about a potential noticeable change in the character of the immediate area.
Another resident, Ailsa Sparrowhawk, challenged the vehicle capacity, noting that with six double occupancy rooms there is a possibility of 18 vehicles at that address and questioning what parking provision exists.
The current submission does not include any expansion of the existing parking area.
The Highway Authority has however offered no objection, pointing out that shared houses generally have lower car ownership and that the site’s current parking was deemed sufficient due to its closeness to public transport.
Further concerns include noise disturbance, impact on neighbours, pressure on shared and outdoor spaces, and effects on the surrounding area’s character.
Supporting documents for the application state that the changes would enable more efficient use of existing housing stock, responding to demand in Wealden without modifying the building’s exterior or affecting the local area’s character or amenity.
The plans also include measures for additional bin storage to handle increased waste from more residents.
The Environment Agency has also raised no objections.
Some locals have called on the council to refuse the application altogether.
The application was submitted on March 4 and is currently under review.