The owner of a quirky attic flat on Quality Street, North Berwick which they say is too small for long term living wants to turn it into a holiday let.
The apartment on Quality Street, North Berwick, has a total floor space of 44 square metres and head height described as ‘over 1.5 metres’ and has been used as a residential home for the last six years.
However in an application to East Lothian Council the owner says the property is better suited as a holiday home due to its ‘quirky’ nature and asks for a change of use.
They say: “The application property is an unusual little flat. It is small and very restricted in head height. It would not meet current standards for room sizes or accessible activity and access.
“There is no storage or outdoor area and it now shares its entrance with a property used for short-term holiday lets which can accommodate large parties of up to six people. It is therefore not a flat particularly suited to long-term living.
“It is, however, an excellent property for short-term visitors. It has been refurbished to a high standard and given its prime location, guests are highly likely to take full advantage of nearby amenities and attractions and do so
more frequently than visitors staying in, for example, less central accommodation with outdoor area and better kitchen and dining facilities.
“t will therefore generate a good local economic benefit property which will
outweigh the loss of residential accommodation of limited qualities.”
The flat shares a communal entrance with a first floor flat which the applicant says has been operating as a short term let for some years. On the ground floor are commercial properties.
The applicant also points out that when they first bought the flat in 2016 they used it as a holiday let until a change of circumstances led to it becoming a long term home.
The application has been lodged with East Lothian planners and can be viewed on the council’s planning portal.
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
