New plans welcomed for Boscombe's Cliff End Hotel

FRESH BID: The Cliff End Hotel in Boscombe on fire earlier this year FRESH BID: The Cliff End Hotel in Boscombe on fire earlier this year

DEVELOPERS are being invited to submit plans to transform a derelict and fire-damaged hotel.

In a fresh bid to end the saga of the neglected Cliff End Hotel in Boscombe, Bournemouth council is set to issue guidance to prospective developers who might be interested in the site.

The 125-year-old hotel in Manor Road was originally created for the jeweller H Samuel but has been deteriorating ever since it closed in 2002 and earlier this month, it was badly damaged in a fire.

Previous attempts to redevelop the historic hotel have come to nothing and the situation has not been helped by an ongoing row between the freeholder Meyrick Estate and the leaseholders the Boscombe Partnership.

The site development brief drawn up by the council explains that as the site is situated in a conservation area, there are strict rules that control demolition and development.

Any future developer would have to retain the central Victorian part of the building, particularly its front facade, but could demolish other parts.

They would then be able to build new extensions or even an additional building on the site.

Phil Robinson, planning policy, conservation and design manager, said: “The council are aware that the neglected appearance of the site, made worse by the recent fire is a concern for many local residents and we are keen to see the site appropriately developed.

“We are looking to establish a long-term solution bringing the site back into use and the site development brief is an important part of promoting and guiding the redevelopment.” The development brief can be viewed at www.bournemouth.gov.uk/cliffendhotel, at Bournemouth council customer services centre or at any of the town’s libraries.

Comments must be received by Wednesday, February 27.

Comments(13)

churchill gardens resident says...
1:31pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Bed-Sits

BmthNewshound says...
1:45pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Just had a quick look at the site development brief on the council website. There are a number of "issues and constraints" which act as barriers rather than incentives. Some are due to the topography but others are down to Council policy.
.
If a developer does come forward it will be with a proposal to build yet another block of poorly designed and cheaply built apartments priced beyond the reach of local people. That or another McCarthy & Stone ghetto.

muscliffman says...
1:57pm Mon 21 Jan 13

The full Council are involved? Or should that read 'a Developer with a few senior Councillors neatly stashed in their pocket'?

Huey says...
2:06pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Fill it full of dossers from the high street, and then rename it The Bell End Hotel.

Azphreal says...
2:29pm Mon 21 Jan 13

As this building has been left to rot for years by the developer hoping tht the council will just allow anything to be done to get rid of it i hope they stick to their guns as this seems to be a common scam. Maybe if the council forced them to make the building safe then something would be done.

Amelia_40 says...
2:33pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Huey wrote:
Fill it full of dossers from the high street, and then rename it The Bell End Hotel.
Hahaha!

Bob49 says...
3:54pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Surely there should be at least one cinema and a number of restaurants inclded in the plans .... plus the ubiquitous climbing wall and surf wave machine, always necessary to get anything lik this through planning.

That can all be funded by building a 'small' number of appartments.

Which thankfully will sell at a premium as the council ever so thoughtfully, an coincidentally, tarted up Boscombe gardens in readiness for such a development.

Gastines3 says...
4:03pm Mon 21 Jan 13

I believe the present lease holder has submitted sevrl plans for redeveloping the site but before it gets to planning I think Meyrick Estates might be the stumbling block. I expect someone will know the correct and full position?

muscliffman says...
4:16pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Bob49 wrote:
Surely there should be at least one cinema and a number of restaurants inclded in the plans .... plus the ubiquitous climbing wall and surf wave machine, always necessary to get anything lik this through planning.

That can all be funded by building a 'small' number of appartments.

Which thankfully will sell at a premium as the council ever so thoughtfully, an coincidentally, tarted up Boscombe gardens in readiness for such a development.
Quite, but whatever goes up here, can we please ensure the colour scheme is outsource 'designed' at taxpayers unknown expense.

Baywolf says...
6:05pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Just throw in more surf pods problem solved...oh wait

B.F.G says...
8:50pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Dave Wells again! His henchmen set fire to it last time.

Bob49 says...
8:52pm Mon 21 Jan 13

"the colour scheme is outsource 'designed' at taxpayers unknown expense.”

yes, I do wonder why the council are very coy about telling us how much they paid the Hemingways for painting the surf pods.

And why the Daily Echo seem very reluctant to ask them.

Yankee1 says...
10:35pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Refit it to Dave Wells' standards.

He knows the Boscombe 'market'.

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