Flats in a redeveloped historic York working men’s club will be marketed as holiday lets despite local councillors’ claims of a housing shortage in the area.
City of York Council planning officers have approved Adies York Ltd’s application to market 14 flats in Blossom Street’s former New York Club and Institute as holiday lets rather than residential flats.
Developers stated the change would help them sell the flats following challenges during the project but added it was always their intention to market them as holiday lets.
But Micklegate ward councillors Jonny Crawshaw and Pete Kilbane objected to the plans, saying they would see much-needed housing lost.
A council report on the decision stated the conversion would improve the choice of visitor accommodation in the city centre though the loss of homes was regrettable.
It comes after the conversion the Grade II-listed former working men’s club and building of a new block at the back of it was first approved in 2020.
The New York Club and Institute, which ran for 90 years, closed in the previous year after failing to attract new members and the building was put up for sale.
The building itself, which is sandwiched between the Premier Inn hotel on either side, dates from the late 18th Century.
It is one of the few surviving buildings from the Georgian era on the north side of Blossom Street.
The developer’s application stated seven flats were now in the original building along with a further seven in the new rear block, with parts of the former also restored.
It added it was unclear if they needed to apply for a change of use from flats to holiday lets when permission for the redevelopment was first granted in 2020.
The application stated the latest application would help remove any uncertainty for incoming investors, assist with marketing and support the viability of the project.
Developers stated: “This has been a challenging project, with works spanning well beyond the initial contracting period.
“The applicants have encountered a number of unforeseen issues.
“Accruing interest payments alongside rising construction costs have placed the viability and therefore the completion of the project at risk.
“The lending facility has been halted by the currrent funder and the completion of the project is reliant on future sales.”
But Micklegate ward’s Cllr Crawshaw and Cllr Kilbane said the original plans had been approved on the basis that they would bring more housing to the area.
The Labour ward councillors said: “Had the committee at the time thought that these much-needed homes would become holiday lets they may have reached a different conclusion.
“Further, the housing shortage in this part of the city remains of concern and losing these homes to holiday let accommodation must not be permitted.”
The council’s report stated the development would provide more accommodation for visitors close to the city centre.
It added the loss of potential homes could be recouped through future developments.
A listed building consent application covering works to the original building, including some which have aleady been completed, is yet to be decided.
