Gravesham Council is looking into a possible planning breach after studio flats were advertised for rent at a disused Premier Inn (pictured).

The authority says the site in Hever Court Road, Gravesend, is still listed as a hotel and not a residential building, reports Kent Online. The company behind the proposals, Alder Design and Build, says it was given “erroneous advice” and posted the listing slightly prematurely.

The hotel was sold by former owners Whitbread in November and under planning law it remains a hotel, however, its rooms were advertised on Rightmove as studio flats for £790 a month, not including bills.

Gravesham Council confirmed in December that its planning team was unaware of the rental scheme but had received a planning application to expand the property by 16 rooms.

The Rightmove listing offering 12-month leases gave a move-in date from 18th January. It has now been removed but other properties at the site, which has now been renamed 'Bayswater House' remain available to rent on the portal.

Slightly premature

Project manager Jim Godwin says: “The listing on Rightmove was slightly premature as the rooms were not available at that time and the decision to list at all was based upon some slightly erroneous advice.

“We had been advised by our planning consultant that the proposed use did not constitute a change of use from C1-hotel as the proposed use remained the ‘best fit’ given the available classifications.”

He explains that in a similar case, a building was able to stay as a C1-hotel, although people staying there had to be more short term than those proposals for the Premier Inn.

Adds Godwin: “Hence, the correct purpose group is ‘house in multiple occupation in excess of six persons residing in a single building’.”

Another planning application for change of use to an HMO has now been submitted.