A HOUSE in Bournemouth will be converted into student accommodation despite fierce opposition from nearby residents.

London-based landlord Patrick Kane, who owns the property in Fernside Road, Winton, applied to the council to change the use of the property from residential use, to ‘house in multiple occupation’.

Under the proposals, which went before Bournemouth’s planning committee on Monday, the property will have six bedrooms, a shared kitchen, dining room and communal area with two allocated car parking spaces.

Mr Kane, who said he will be using a third party agent to manage the property, defended the plans and claimed students “are not all terrible” and that a family could be “equally unruly”.

“I realise students can be rowdy and what have you,” he added.

“It is a residential area and I will sit them down and tell them there will not be any problems.

“I have come here so you can see I’m not some faceless landlord.”

Mr Kane claimed parking would not be a problem and trusted the future occupants would be capable of taking out bins each week.

He said the property has been unkempt in recent years because an elderly relative has lived there and was unable to tend to it.

When asked by the committee about the maintenance of the lawn in the back garden, Mr Kane said: “It has gone to wilderness and no one has complained. But if you want me to get someone in to cut the grass then I will.”

He added it was possible the property could end up being used to home young professionals.

Cllr Nicola Greene, ward councillor for Wallisdown and Winton West, said 43 letters had been written in objection to the proposal and a petition had been signed by many more.

The change of use was granted by the committee on a temporary basis until September 2015.