Cornwall's G7 hotel is appealing order to remove controversial meeting rooms

Cornwall's G7 hotel is appealing order to remove controversial meeting rooms

Author: Local Democracy Reporter Richard WhitehousePublished 18th Oct 2021

The Carbis Bay Hotel has lodged an appeal against an enforcement notice which was served after they carried out building works without planning permission.

After being selected as the host venue for the G7 summit for world leaders this summer, the hotel built several meeting rooms which it said were needed for the event.

However work started without planning permission and an application was only submitted after campaigners highlighted what was going on.

Planning permission had previously been refused for the hotel to build several new lodges on the site which now has the meeting rooms.

Campaigners had called on Cornwall Council to take enforcement action to stop the works but after the planning application was submitted the council said it would be better for it to go through the proper process.

However last month the hotel withdrew its planning application so Cornwall Council announced that it would be serving an enforcement notice which would call on the hotel to remove the buildings and return the site to its original state. The hotel would have had six months to comply with the notice.

The hotel was able to lodge an appeal against the notice before it was due to come into effect on Monday (October 18th).

When asked what it would be doing about the enforcement action The Carbis Bay Hotel said in a statement: “We have no comment to make at this time".

But Cornwall Council has confirmed that the hotel has decided to appeal the notice. The appeal will be considered by the planning inspectorate.

In a statement the council said: “The enforcement notice in relation to unauthorised works at the Carbis Bay Hotel was due to come into effect on October 18, 2021. This notice requires the unauthorised developments to be removed and for the land to be reinstated to its former levels, gradients and condition within six calendar months of this date.

“However, the applicant has lodged an appeal against the enforcement notice, and the matter will now be formally considered by the Planning Inspectorate appointed by the Secretary of State".

Whilst the hotel had claimed that the meeting rooms were required for the G7 summit, the Cabinet Office said at the time that they had not needed any additional facilities.

The planning application which was initially submitted for the development also had elements which were identical to the previous plans for lodges which had been refused permission.

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