Residents lodge planning complaint on Leeds holiday home after "drunken abuse"

Residents in a south Leeds street have endured noisy music, anti-social behaviour and "drunken abuse" from guests at an unauthorised holiday home, according to objections lodged with council officials.
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Dozens of people living in and around Mafeking Grove have submitted letters to Leeds City Council's planning department, complaining that the two-bedroom property is being used as a "party house".

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Applicant B Hussain is seeking planning permission to turn 5 Mafeking Grove, Cross Flatts, into a furnished holiday let for night-to-night use for two to four guests.

Residents are complaining having endured noisy music, anti-social behaviour and "drunken abuse". Picture: Google.Residents are complaining having endured noisy music, anti-social behaviour and "drunken abuse". Picture: Google.
Residents are complaining having endured noisy music, anti-social behaviour and "drunken abuse". Picture: Google.
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The retrospective application was submitted in July and lists a date back in April as the point when the usage changed, meaning the home has been let for holiday rentals without the necessary permissions.

Beeston and Holbeck councillor Angela Gabriel is among those to have expressed concerns following the involvement of police and anti-social teams.

"This is a quite cul-de-sac of back-to-back houses in a residential street," she said. "This accommodation is already up and running and has done nothing but cause anti-social behaviour by the folks staying there with loud music playing all night and into the early hours.

"It is not a suitable location for a hotel /holiday house as it's only rented out on a nightly basis."

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Those living near the property have expressed similar concerns, with one neighbour detailing the stress it has put on their family and the consideration they are now giving to leaving their family home of 25 years.

"We have had to endure a litany of noise disturbances and drunken abuse," they said.

"Beeston has always provided a wonderful, diverse and enriching environment in which to raise a family. Unfortunately since March this year, the culture and community spirit of the street has been decimated, and the whole nature of our existence here has been called into question.

"The stress on my family has been unbearable at times, the anxiety that members of my family have felt during this time has brought the question of moving home to the fore."

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One retired resident wrote: "Guests can be verbally disrespectful which I have personally encountered, this is affecting my quality of life and my retirement as this is supposed to be where I have my well-earned rest after working hard all my life.

"This is affecting my physical and mental health as I've been sleep-deprived due to the noise, nuisance and anti-social behaviour that is caused by having a holiday let in a small residential street."

Many letters of objection cite the "noise" and "public disorder" created by those staying at the property, with one letter detailing the potential danger to local children.

It said: "Many a time kids cannot play out on the street because of cars speeding up to number 5."

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However, the council's Highways Team has rejected any concerns over potential parking issues.

Its response to the plans said: "It is considered that the change of use would not increase the parking requirement for the property and therefore a highway objection could not be justified on that basis."

The public consultation on the plans has now closed, with council planning officers due to make a decision in the coming weeks.

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