An appeal against Sefton Council’s refusal to allow swimming lessons at a house in Southport has been unsuccessful.
After plans were submitted to Sefton Council last October for building a retractable swimming pool roof so that private swimming lessons could be carried at a house on Scarisbrick New Road, it attracted objections from several neighbours.
One local resident said the applicant was “riding roughshod over the rules” after the pool was constructed and claimed the extra parking created by the plans would add an “unbearable load” to the surrounding area.
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Another spoke of concerns over potential noise from the swimming lessons and commercial activity taking place in the area, which is mostly residential.
The applicant had sought permission for a Certificate of Lawfullness, which would mean full planning permission would not be required. However, planning officers said the proposals would involve a “material change” and so planning permission would be required.
An appeal was then lodged by the applicant with the planning inspectorate which issued a decision in August. The details of that decision have been included in a planning appeals report released ahead of a meeting of Sefton Council’s planning committee, due to be held on Wednesday, September 21.
In a planning inspectorate report produced detailing the decision, the planning inspectorate said: “It is acknowledged that lessons are offered as a basis for sharing the benefit of the pool with the wider community, whilst also providing a way for the family to afford the maintenance of the pool.”
However, the report adds: “The extended use of the pool for providing swimming lessons, combined with the commerciality of the lessons, results in a significant difference in the character of the residential property.”
This means the change of use is classed as “material” an so a certificate of lawfullness would not be sufficient. Agreeing with Sefton Council that full planning permission would be required, the planning inspectorate then dismissed the appeal.
As a result, the applicant will now have to remove the retractable roof, which has already been built, or reduce its height to less than 2.5m. The inspectorate also ordered that swimming lessons must cease, with the applicant having three months from the date of decision to ensure compliance with the ruling.
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