Five-storey aparthotel planned for centre of holiday town
An application has been submitted to replace the Sutherland Hotel at Mount Wise in Newquay
Plans for an aparthotel in the heart of Newquay are back on the table after a previous application was withdrawn due to concerns about its height.
Blakesley Estates Ltd has applied to Cornwall Council to replace the Sutherland Hotel at Mount Wise with the 31-apartment hotel, which would reach five storeys at its highest point.
The site has previously been the subject of a pre-application enquiry for a larger building of similar design to the present proposal with 45 apartments which was reduced to 43 at a Design Review Panel stage. It was then subject to a full planning application with 35 units over six storeys.
Newquay Town Council and members of the public objected, with the council stating: "Members agreed the height of the proposed aparthotel was excessive and would appear quite at odds with neighbouring buildings, having failed to respect the overall street scene along Mount Wise."
That application was withdrawn and has now been replaced by the new proposal, which the applicant says includes a "substantial alteration and reduction in the massing and form of the building to reflect the comments that were received … and through consultation that has been undertaken since that application was withdrawn".
The proposed development is for an aparthotel split between two buildings which will include 31 units of accommodation, comprising nine one-bedroom and 22 two-bedroom apartments alongside a gym/fitness suite, spa/wellness suite, a co-working space, communal open/social spaces, concierge, cleaning/changeover and laundry services, surf washdown/store and a reception area. It would also include a basement car park and cycle storage area.
The development is proposed as two complimentary blocks of apartments linked by an internal landscaped court at ground floor level. The northern block would include 22 apartments over four storeys over a basement plinth level. "The main block ranges in height up to five storeys above podium where it fronts on to Mount Wise Road," says a planning statement.
"The removal of the fifth and sixth floor reduces the building’s scale, allowing the proposal to sit more comfortably within the surrounding context whilst giving relief to the adjacent Ocean Views apartments." The southern block would deliver nine apartments over four storeys. The application states it would be "respectful" to local landmarks such as Newquay Parish Church.
The supporting statement adds: "As an aparthotel, it offers a range of accommodation options which allows for a wider client base/offering than a traditional hotel and can cater for tourists who might otherwise look to rent second homes/holiday lets, which represent a considerable issue within the town. It will include 13 full or part time jobs and will materially contribute to the wider local economy, both during the construction phase and during operation. It will replace a dilapidated and unattractive building with a modern building of a design which reflects its immediate setting."
The current Sutherland Hotel is a four-storey, 28-bedroom hotel with a range of entertainment facilities, including function room, large public bar and a restaurant. "The hotel building is a concrete construction of limited aesthetic benefit which contains ageing facilities incompatible with the demands of modern tourism," says the application.