UNCERTAINTY surrounds two hotels in Bournemouth's East Cliff which are being used for student accommodation.

Both the Ocean View and the Bay View Court hotels in Grove Road are listed as closed to tourists online, but are available to students via assisted shorthold tenancies.

The latter has a dedicated website, the Bay View Breeze, offering students a single room for £145 per week and a double for £165 per week, and £10 extra for a sea view.

Extras include catered breakfast and dinner, gardens, bike store, games facilities, Wifi and, no doubt a significant draw for students, no bills.

It is even included on a list of 'student hotels' on the Bournemouth University website.

Both hotels and the Cottonwood Boutique Hotel between them are owned by Quantum Hotels, whose parent firm Quantum Group has associations with council leader John Beesley and has employed Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns as a consultant.

A spokesman for Quantum said its hotels were properly registered as houses in multiple occupation (HMO), although there is no record of any planning consent for such a usage.

"We can confirm that the Ocean View and Bayview (sic) hotels on the East Cliff are operated by us as student hotels.

"A student hotel provides an alternative to living in a halls of residence or a student shared house, providing each resident with an en suite bedroom, breakfast and a two course dinner daily, and a range of support amenities.

"Both hotels have the requisite HMO registration."

Hotels are typically usage class C1, and conversion to a large HMO would require change of use to 'sui generis' and consent from the council.

However Bournemouth council said it had not received any complaints about the properties for breaching planning conditions and had therefore not investigated the sites. A spokesman confirmed they were registered as HMOs.

Planning manager Andy Sherriff said: "Our planning enforcement team can investigate a number of issues including building work or significant changes of use carried out without planning permission.

"Some uses can be temporary, or ancillary to the primary use of a property, without compromising the authorised use.

"As such, we would be pleased to hear from the complainant via our on-line reporting form so that we can give proper consideration to any evidence that they might have.

"If something is amiss, we can take legal action to redress the situation."

Quantum also said it has planning permission to develop the site, incorporating "a brand new 90-bed four star hotel", however it has run into difficulties with the landowner.

"This redevelopment will only be possible once the Meyrick Estate agree new leases for the site, which sadly have yet to be forthcoming despite years of dialogue," the firm said.

Councillor Beesley is listed on Quantum's website under directors - as director of subsidiary Platinum Skies.

He told the Echo: "I am not a director of Quantum and never have been.

"As you know, I am an unpaid non-executive director of Platinum Skies Living Limited which as far as I am aware has no relationship with this property."