A PROPOSAL to change the use of a residential house into a six-bedroom holiday let has been refused after a deluge of local complaints.

A retrospective application was submitted to South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) by Patricia Kilty to turn Stone Arthur, on School Road in Kirkby, into a holiday home for up to 12 people.

A previous application was refused in March 2022 on the grounds of noise and disturbance to neighbours, as well as the lack of adequate parking provision.

An enforcement notice was subsequently issued against the applicant for the change of use being implemented without planning permission.

A report explaining the refusal was published by Westmorland and Furness Council.

It said: "The property has a large rear garden, including associated hot tub, barbeque, benches and children's play equipment, which are likely to be the focal point of activity.

"This area directly adjoins the boundaries with 1 Combe Crescent and Jays, Rhencullen and The Swallows, School Road, with all of these neighbouring properties being within approximately five metres of the shared boundary.

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"The users of the large garden, with its associated facilities, are expected to generate noise as they are away on a break for the purposes of celebrating and socialising.

"This is said to include music and shouting for prolonged periods in the night.

"Whilst this could occur from any private residential property, it appears that this occurs more regularly and intensely with short-term occupation of the holiday let.

"The representations of objection and the council's own records confirm that this has occurred continuously over a long period of time.

"This noise significantly harms the living conditions of nearby occupants, particularly in the summer months, when nearby occupants are likely to be trying to sleep with windows open."

Objections related mainly to the lack of parking, the disruption to local traffic flow, and noise disruption from guests, with one neighbour referring to the property as 'a party house bringing distress to this area of Kirkby-in-Furness'.

The report concludes: "Whilst providing some economic and social benefits associated with tourism, these benefits will be limited in scale and do not outweigh the harm identified.

"Therefore, planning permission should be refused."