PLANS to convert a five-bedroom terraced house on Gorey Pier into an Airbnb have been lodged in what the applicant hopes will be a ‘welcome addition’ to the ‘lively harbour’.
Formerly the Mont Orgueil Hotel, with a shop on the ground floor, the property became residential accommodation in the mid-20th century.
In a supporting letter accompanying the plans, applicant Louise Bracken-Smith said: ‘The proposal to change the private dwelling to form a really good standard holiday home on Gorey Pier should be a welcome addition to this lively harbour, and to the Island of Jersey in general.
‘Number six Gorey Pier is part of a terrace of properties forming the backbone of Gorey Pier.’
Outlining the application, Mrs Bracken-Smith stated: ‘We wish to request a change of use for the five-bedroom property at number six Gorey Pier from residential to holiday let/accommodation/Airbnb.’
The house is located next to the Moorings Hotel, which Mrs Bracken-Smith added ‘has a rich history of tourism and restaurant dining’.
Mrs Bracken-Smith described the house as ‘eminently suitable’ for use as a holiday home.
She added: ‘The proposal to return number six into a property market does not require any alterations to the exterior in any way to support this use, nor will there be an increase in traffic.
‘Internally the rooms have also remained faithful to the original layout.’
Recently, Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf said officers would assess the planning status of 95 properties identified through websites such as Airbnb, which allows people to offer short-term lodgings or home stays for a fee.
Last month, a couple in Grouville applied for permission to list their outbuilding, which is currently being used by visiting friends and family, on Airbnb.
Under the Planning and Building Law, the use of a property for short-term holiday letting is defined as ‘development’, and requires planning permission.
