Change of use from dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to a small house in multiple occupation (Use Class C4) for occupation by up to five unrelated persons sharing kitchen, bathroom and other communal facilities. No external alterations are proposed (Retrospective)
The application describes a change from Class C3 (homes) to Class C4 (a small house in multiple occupation). That is how the application describes it, not a finding of the lawful use.
The decision notice on the council’s file (published Fri 21 Aug 2026) attaches 6 conditions. In the council’s words, each with the reason it gives:
Time limit to start
The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.
Reason: This condition is imposed in accordance with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Built to the approved plans
The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: Block Plan Site Location Plan Block Plan Showing Bin Store V2 Existing and Proposed Floorplan Management Plan
Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.
Bins and recycling
The use hereby permitted shall cease unless within 3 months of the date of this permission unless the waste and recycling storage details approved under drawing Block Plan Showing Bin Store have been implemented in accordance with the approved details and retained in perpetuity thereafter.
Reason: In order to secure a well planned development that functions properly.
How the building or land is used
The HMO hereby approved shall not be occupied by more than 5no. persons at any time.
Reason: In the interests of proper planning.
Something else
The large House of Multiple Occupation hereby approved shall be managed in accordance with the approved details in the submitted Management Plan. This management plan shall be adhered to for the lifetime of the development. Should the need arise for changes to be made to the approved Management Plan, an amended Management Plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to those changes being implemented.
Reason: In the interests of proper planning.
Hours of building work
With the exception of internal works the building works required to carry out the development allowed by this permission must only be carried out within the following times:- 08.00 - 18.00 Monday to Friday 08.00 - 13.00 on Saturdays No working on Sundays or Public Holidays.
Reason: To safeguard the amenity of adjoining and future residents.
We copy the numbered conditions and their reasons and nothing else from the notice; its notes to the applicant are on the file. The label on each is ours, by rules on the council’s wording. The conditions the council attaches, by kind of application
Conservation and heritage on this street
None of the town’s 18 conservation areas reaches Alexandra Road as mapped.
Measured along the street’s line against the council’s boundaries. Whether a particular building is inside depends on where the boundary runs: each area’s page on the council’s site has its map. All 18 conservation areas
The council’s Article 4 direction on houses in multiple occupation covers the whole town (in force since 2 July 2012): turning a house into a shared house for three to six people needs planning permission. The council’s page ↗
Tree preservation orders within about 40 m of Alexandra Road’s line, from the council’s map data:
TPO 8: made 16 May 1949, confirmed 3 March 1950; 2 trees, 15 groups of trees, 1 area of trees, 2 woodlands in the order. The order (PDF) ↗
Indicative only — the council’s order is what counts. The council says of its tree order map data: “This dataset is under review and subject to change. Always refer to the Original Tree Preservation Order and associated plan for confirmation.” The council’s tree preservation orders page ↗
Flood zones, the coast and protected nature on this street
We place an application by the street in its address, so these say where Alexandra Road runs, not where the site’s boundary is. The application’s own documents on the council’s file show the site.
Flood zones
None of Alexandra Road’s line is in Flood Zone 2 or 3 on the Environment Agency’s flood map for planning. In the Agency’s words: “This means a site in flood zone 1 could still flood now or in the future.”
No Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation, Local Nature Reserve, ancient woodland or country park is within about 100 m of Alexandra Road’s line, and it is outside the High Weald National Landscape. Protected nature in Hastings
Environmental Health Pollution, asked Mon 8 Jun 2026
Housing Renewal, asked Tue 16 Jun 2026
Consultee responses on the file
Responses filed as consultee comments, named as the file names them, with the day each was published. What they say is in each document on the council’s file.
HOUSING, Thu 4 Jun 2026
WASTE, Thu 11 Jun 2026
HIGHWAYS, Fri 12 Jun 2026
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH (NOISE AND CONTAMINATION), Thu 25 Jun 2026
HOUSING IMPROVEMENT AND COMPLIANCE TEAM, Mon 6 Jul 2026
WASTE AND STREET SCENE SERVICES OFFICER, Tue 8 Sep 2026
Is a comment public?
The council’s page on commenting says: “All comments will be made available to view online and will be treated in accordance with our privacy policy. Comments will be redacted where they contain personal information or are inappropriate in their content.” It also says: “Please note that we do not accept anonymous comments.” Commenting on an application, on the council’s site ↗ (read 13 October 2026).
We count the comments on the council’s file. We never copy a commenter’s name, address or words, and we don’t list who objected: that is on the file.
Similar applications nearby
Other applications of the same kind (change of use) on Alexandra Road or in Gensing ward, decided ones first, since our record starts on 21 April 2026. A refusal is marked; its reasons are in the decision notice on the council’s file. Each application is decided on its own facts.
Change of use from House in Multiple Occupation (Sui Generis) to Residential Care Home for looked after children and young people (C2)
HS/FA/26/00511, validated Wed 2 Sep 2026
Registered
If you think work doesn’t match what was approved
The council’s planning enforcement team looks into building work or a use that may not have permission, or may not follow the approved plans or conditions. Its page explains how to report it and which cases it deals with first: planning enforcement on the council’s site ↗
Our planning record starts on 21 April 2026, from the council’s weekly lists of new and decided applications. We list the site, the proposal, the dates, the decision, the comment counts and a permission’s conditions. We never copy a commenter’s or an individual applicant’s details; an applicant is named only when it is an organisation we can match exactly to a council, a registered charity or a company on Companies House. Planning is decided by the council, not by us.