THE developer behind major plans for the redevelopment of three Sandbanks hotels said he hoped it would finally go to committee in June, five years after they were originally lodged.
Richard Carr, chief executive of Fortitudo first lodged plans in 2017 for the replacement of the Sandbanks Hotel with a 171-bedroom hotel, replacement of the Haven Hotel with three blocks of residential apartments and the erection of a 38-suite “aparthotel” on the site of the Harbour Heights Hotel.
After being met with thousands of objections and resistance from the Sandbanks Community Group, Mr Carr said he hoped the plans would finally go to committee in June.
READ MORE: Haven Hotel plans would bring "character" to Sandbanks
He said: “We are hoping that the local authority is just sorting one last point with the Environment Agency and they are telling me they are hoping to get it to committee for May, I am thinking June.
“I am obviously looking forward to it, it’s been a five-year project. After a very long journey going backwards and forwards, I am not going to be presumptuous, I would suggest that it is in the best interests that there are two brand new hotels out of this development with more bed space.
“Cleary with tourism now they are more deserving of much better facilities, currently they don’t have this so it’s got to be good for the town and good for the locals.
“On top of that, the amenities of these hotels will be great for the local population.
“If a woman wants to go to a spa she needs to go to the Chewton Glen, both these hotels will have spas and will have restaurants, there will be great amenities for the local residents to use and for tourists to use.”
READ MORE: The Haven Hotel: Why are plans for flats so controversial?
A spokesperson for BCP Council said: “We are in the final stages of the assessment of the application and are now working towards bringing it to planning committee for decision as soon as possible.”
An objection to the flood defence proposals from the Environment Agency was posted on the planning portal in March.
It said further sensitivity testing was needed to give confidence in the model and post-development scenarios had not been simulated.
As reported, David Morley of the Sandbanks Community Group said changing the Haven from a hotel would “rip the heart out of Sandbanks”.
He said: “We don’t think the Haven site should have a change of use from a hotel, there’s been a hotel there for 160 years, the loss of a hotel would be a 100-year mistake.
“It is the most unique spot for many miles and it is a place that the public should be able to enjoy, if you take that away you rip the heart out of Sandbanks.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel