Skegness town councillors expressed their concern over a retrospective planning application to change a former guest house on Cecil Avenue into a hostel at a planning committee meeting at Skegness Town Hall last Tuesday.

Coun George Saxon said: "It happened in Bridlington 20 years ago and it has taken them this long to recover."

Councillors objected to the planning application on the grounds that it conflicted with the local plan, which deals with the loss of hotels, to protect tourism.

Coun Brian O'Connor said: "Conversion of hotel stock can seriously damage a seaside town as a tourism site.

"There is a policy on this and we should stick to it."

The final decision on the planning application lies with East Lindsey District Council, and as it does not conflict with the local plan in the manner that town councillors believed it to, they may allow it, particularly as it has been functioning under this use for some time.

The hostel is used for people on housing support and further concerns over the quality of housing offered to people using public money for their accommodation were raised.

Speaking after the meeting Coun Mark Anderson said: "We need to make sure that when public money is being used to support private legislation should be complied with."

However ELDC communications officer James Gilbert explained: "There are too many properties in the district occupied by people on housing benefits to be able to inspect them all."

ELDC do inspect properties they have received complaints about and also work closely with housing trusts to ensure a supply of affordable housing.

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