A bid to turn a 10-bedroom coastal hotel into a large House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) has been refused.

The change of use application to turn the Hotel Katherine in south Lowestoft into a house of multiple occupancy has been rejected by council planners.

A scheme centring around change of use of the building at 49 Kirkley Cliff Road, Lowestoft "from hotel C1 to HMO C4" was lodged with East Suffolk Council in October.

But the proposal - submitted by Darren Clement - to change the three-storey hotel that is situated not far away from south Lowestoft beach and Kensington Gardens into an HMO was refused by the council under delegated powers.

According to its website, the 10-bedroom hotel with on site owner accommodation, was bought in 2017 and "after a period of renovation" the hotel was re-opened in the summer of 2018.

A nearby resident objected to the plans citing anti-social behaviour and noise concerns, while Lowestoft Town Council "agreed to recommend refusal of the application as the developments sits within the Flat Saturation Zone" within the Waveney Local Plan at a meeting of its planning committee in November.

A council letter to Mr Clement said: "East Suffolk Council hereby refuse to permit the development proposed in your application."

It added: "Planning permission is sought for the conversion of an existing hotel set over three floors, into a House of Multiple Occupation (large HMO - Sui Generis).

"The site comprises a semi detached three storey property, located within the settlement boundary of Lowestoft.

"The Local Plan highlights that the tourism industry is a vital part of Waveney's economy.

"The building is currently used as a Hotel (C1 Use Class).

"Change of use will only be considered in exceptional circumstances where it can be fully and satisfactorily demonstrated that there is no demand for the tourist accommodation.

"Insufficient evidence has been provided within this application to demonstrate that there is no demand for this accommodation.

"Furthermore, the proposal to change the use of the building to a Large HMO (Sui Generis), capable of accommodating 22 residents, would not be permitted as the site falls within a Flat Saturation Zone within Kirkley Cliff Road."

It added the proposal is "therefore contrary" to policies WLP8.4 - Conversion of Properties to Flats - and WLP8.17 - Existing Tourist Accommodation - of the council's Waveney Local Plan.