A proposal to turn a new development on the site of the former Cottage Hotel, in Carbis Bay, into an ‘aparthotel’ has been rejected by Cornwall Council.
The owner had applied for a change of use for the newly completed development of 37 apartments, and planning officers had recommended approval.
The proposal was to convert the over-55s housing scheme to an aparthotel, a form of serviced holiday
accommodation.
Following speeches by Johnnie Wells, mayor of St Ives, and St Ives Cornwall councillors Linda Taylor and Andrew Mitchell, the committee debated the proposals at length. The proposal was eventually refused.
There were concerns that the application did not support the St Ives Neighbourhood Plan policy for permanent homes. There were also arguments that the aparthotel concept was unclear, and it was difficult to see how conditions to prevent the properties being occupied as self-contained flats could be enforced in the future.
Cllr Wells questioned why the developer had sought to market the properties at such high prices. He also argued that, with 700 holiday properties in Carbis Bay, there was no evidence of need for more accommodation of this kind, but a pressing need for permanent homes.
Cllr Mitchell also expressed concern that, after seven years, no agreement to access the site had been reached with Network Rail and questioned whether it was, therefore, deliverable.
Cllr Wells concluded: “This is a victory for local people. We value our visitor economy, but the parish is reaching saturation point. St Ives and Carbis Bay needs more homes, not aparthotels.”
